Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois guilty of domestic violence act against former partner

A young dad dragged his girlfriend from bed and choked her in the yard. She escaped him, fearing for her life, hysterical and covered in blood – but he won’t face prison.

A woman was left bloodied, fearing for her life and “hysterical and shaking with injuries” but her abuser will not go to prison.

Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois, 30, was sentenced for perpetrating domestic violence against his then girlfriend in the Mount Gambier District Court last Wednesday.

The Glencoe man had previously pleaded guilty to damaging property and unlawfully choking, suffocating or strangling another with the charges carrying a maximum penalty of 10 and seven years imprisonment respectively.

Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois pleaded guilty to choking his former girlfriend. Picture: Facebook / Zeke Courbois

The couple had been drinking all day following the Mount Gambier Christmas Parade, an argument ensued and they went their separate ways before the November 16, 2019 attack at the victim’s home.

In sentencing, Judge Geraldine Davison said the altercation occurred after the victim left Courbois’ things outside the house and told him he needed to collect them.

He arrived at around 8.30pm, punched a “large hole” in the wall and followed her into the bedroom.

Courbois headbutted his victim in the face leaving her with a bleeding lip before dragging her by the legs off the bed and onto the floor.

“You then crouched over her and placed your forearm against her throat, pushing it into the ground,” Judge Davison said.

“She could not breathe.

“She said she felt like her head was going to explode. Her eyes and face felt like they were bulging.”

The victim’s next memory is being outside, lying on her back in the rocks near the garage, again with Courbois’ forearm against her throat before escaping to a neighbour’s house and grabbing knives to protect herself.

“She was so terrified that you were going to come after her and kill her at that stage,” Judge Davison said.

The neighbour described the victim as “absolutely hysterical” with a bloodied lip, blood all over her lower face and her hands, a grazed knee and looked like she had been hit to the eye.

Another neighbour heard Courbois yelling he would kill her.

Judge Davison said the victim messaged her attacker after the incident, wanting to know how she got outside.

Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois was sentenced to eight months home detention. Picture: Facebook

In a message read to the court, Courbois said:

“I remember punching the wall, walking in your room, pulling you off the bed by your foot and flung you into the wall. Then I blacked out. Next thing I was on top of you choking you and I freaked out. Ran outside, got my bike off the driveway and rode home. I don’t remember being outside, I really don’t. It replays in my head every day.”

Previously, prosecutor Robert Walker told the Mount Gambier District Court the charges were “plainly domestic violence”.

Courbois’ defence lawyer Nick Vadasz deceived the event as “alcohol-fuelled quarrel” and said it was out of character.

Judge Davison found he did have relevant criminal history.

She said the charges were “serious offences” and the court would not tolerate domestic violence.

“The fact that you committed these offences whilst you were severely intoxicated does not excuse your offending,” she said.

“Your offending was particularly violent and sudden.

“You left the complainant hysterical and shaking with injuries.

“Trying to stem domestic violence is not a hollow slogan to be applied when it suits.

“It is a very real issue in our community.

“Although I accept that this offending occurred as isolated offences, there not being any other complaints of other instances of domestic violence in your relationship, deterrence and protection of the community play an important role in relation to sentence.”

Accepting he was remorseful, working towards rehabilitation and now in a new relationship with a six month old daughter, Judge Davison sentenced Courbois to one year, seven months and seven days with a non-parole of eight months.

She ordered him to serve the non-parole period on home detention.