Sung Ping Lail jailed for five years for false imprisonment and assault of his partner

A man kept his girlfriend locked in a room with him for a week – not even letting her out for the bathroom – and assaulted her with a pole.

A boyfriend who kept his partner locked in a room with him for a week, periodically assaulting her and forbidding her from going to the bathroom, had a history of detaining people against their will, a court has heard.

Sung Ping Lail, 30, was jailed for five years on Monday for two counts of false imprisonment as well as aggravated assault and aggravated intentionally causing harm.

District Court Chief Judge Michael Evans said Lail’s offending was fuelled by drug use and his partner had been “fearful” for months before the incident.

The court heard that Lail’s bedroom door at his house had a broken handle and could only be opened with a pair of tweezers.

Judge before Christmas 2020 Lail locked his partner in the room with him and forbade her from leaving.

For two days they stayed in the room. During that time Lail assaulted her by punching her repeatedly to the head.

He released her from the room on December 24, 2020 and took her to her parents’ house for Christmas.

The court heard the victim hid her bruises from her family and then, two days later returned to Lail’s house.

He once again kept her in the room – this time for a week.

She was not allowed to leave to use the bathroom and was made to urinate on the mattress they both slept on.

During the second period of false imprisonment Lail attacked the victim with a metal pole wrapped in tape.

The pole left severe bruises on the woman’s legs and side.

She left the house for a second time on December 31, 2020, and was once again dropped at her parents’ house.

This time her bruises were noticed and the police were called on January 4, 2021, when Lail arrived at the front door screaming for her to come outside and go with him.

Lail has remained in custody since that date.

During sentencing, Chief Judge Evans said it was concerning Lail had a conviction for false imprisonment in Victoria where he wrapped a former domestic partner in a “bear hug” and refused to release her.

Lail was imprisoned for five years with a non-parole period of three years. He will be eligible for parole early next year.