Carey Lenny Nugent sentenced in Townsville District Court after severely injuring, assaulting girlfriend on Palm Island

A former security worker for an NQ council left his girlfriend bloodied and bruised and was told by a judge women needed to be protected from him.

Carey Lenny Nugent sentenced in Townsville District Court after severely injuring, assaulting girlfriend on Palm Island. Picture: Facebook

A criminal defence lawyer who hoped to see some remorse in his client’s eyes by showing him the graphic images of the injuries the man inflicted upon his girlfriend following a vicious assault was met with a blank stare.

Carey Lenny Nugent stood in Townsville District Court on Tuesday after being charged with assaulting his girlfriend so severely she suffered fractures, cuts and bruises to her body.

Crown prosecutor Grace Ollasen revealed that on July 15 last year the 28-year-old and his girlfriend had been drinking at a party at the rodeo grounds before Nugent became jealous and filled with rage.

“He punched and kicked her several times,” Ms Ollasen told the court.

“She sustained a swollen, bruised face, lacerations to the cheek and scalp, bruises on her face and a nasal bone fracture.”

During the assault, the woman also suffered a chipped tooth that lodged into her lower lip.

The court was told the woman fell and the man beat her with a tree branch, he dragged her by her hair along the ground while she yelled for him to stop.

The crown said the woman went to a house nearby where she fell asleep, and after going to Palm Island Hospital the following day was transported to Townsville for further treatment where she then gave a statement to police.

Nugent’s violent criminal history which included multiple women being assaulted by him over the years was revealed in court with Judge Jennifer Rosengren asking his lawyer what could be done to put an end to his offending.

“This is the story we hear time and time again,” Her Honour started.

“You would not treat your animal like this.

“I just read his history and thought ‘what is going on here?’ even in the context of alcohol it’s a complete and utter disrespect for women, it’s concerning behaviour.”

Her Honour cited that Nugent had previously been sentenced for assaulting a separate woman where he hit her with a broomstick so hard it snapped.

Generic photo, Townsville Court House. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“We have a need to protect women in the community from this man,” she said.

Defence barrister Michael Hibble instructed by Rennick Lawyers agreed with Her Honour that despite having significant challenges such as the death of his mother, Nugent needed to turn his life around.

“You may have noticed I showed him the photos of the injuries hoping for a reaction,” Mr Hibble said.

“There was no reaction.”

The defence barrister and Her Honour discussed back and forth the significant issue Nugent faced with alcohol.

“A man sitting here sober is not the same as the man committing these acts,” Mr Hibble said.

“He was working in a security position for Palm Island Council before getting locked up for these offences, he has a two-year-old daughter – if that doesn’t make him change it’s hard to understand what will.”

Nugent nodded to Judge Rosengren as she highlighted his issue with drinking.

“It’s not going to be an easy journey for you,” she said.

“I suspect you look back at what you’ve done and are very disappointed in yourself. You keep doing this to women in the community and women need to be protected from you.”

As Her Honour re-read the facts of his most recent offending he hung his head.

“This woman, like the previous ones, had an absolute right to feel respected and safe around you,” she said.

Nugent pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault.

He was sentenced to three and a half years’ jail, with the judge declaring the 330 days he had spent in pre-sentence custody as time served. He was given a parole eligibility date of September 16.

Originally published as Carey Lenny Nugent sentenced in Townsville District Court after severely injuring, assaulting girlfriend on Palm Island