Maria Buci would have joined growing list of women killed at hands of current, former partners

It was only the intervention of brave bystanders that stopped Brisbane lawyer Maria Buci’s name from being added to a tragic list of Queensland women killed by current and former partners.

Cameron Bardak attempted to downplay his abusive messages to ex-girlfriend Maria Buci.

But for the intervention of brave bystanders, there is little doubt Brisbane lawyer Maria Buci would have joined a growing list of Queensland women killed at the hands of current and former partners.

Hannah Clarke, Tara Brown, Sandra Peniamina, Fabiana Palhares, Karina Locke and Teresa Bradford – just to name a few.

How fitting it is then that her would-be killer was found guilty of her attempted murder just days into Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month – a month aimed at raising awareness of domestic violence and coercive control.

Maria Buci, 30, was threatened with an axe and choked during a terrifying attack in Brisbane's CBD. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Outside court Ms Buci said it was difficult to recognise the signs of domestic violence in a relationship.

In his own evidence, Cameron Bardak claimed his abusive messages were simply “nonsensical ramblings”.

If Ms Buci simply had gone with him when he threatened her with an axe he wouldn’t have had to use it, he said.

If she’d stopped screaming when he hit her – he wouldn’t have needed to strangle her.

And if David Sturgess, the brave man who came to her rescue, had not put his arm up to protect himself as Bardak swung the axe down on him, then his hand wouldn’t have been sliced open.

By his own admission, Bardak was manipulative, patronising and aggressive and he was willing to use violence to get his way in the relationship, to fulfil his need for control.

And like many domestic violence offenders, he tried to defend his appalling behaviour to the very end.