Ethan Connor Ballard in court for assault, strangulation

A woman said an ex-retail worker’s brutal assault made her subject to panic attacks and ‘stripped her of her soul’.

Ethan Connor Ballard pleaded guilty to charges of common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting in Bundaberg District Court on Thursday.

A former retail worker assaulted and choked a woman in an attack she said “stripped her of her soul”.

Ethan Connor Ballard pleaded guilty in Bundaberg District Court on Thursday to charges of common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting.

Legal officer from the director of public prosecutions Jodie Tame told the court Ballard, 25, and the victim had an argument which resulted in him pushing her against the front door while she tried to leave and throwing her to the ground.

The court heard Ballard kicked the woman multiple times including her face, torso and buttocks before forcing her into the corner of the room.

Judge William Everson told the court Ballard then moved towards the woman and placed her in an underarm headlock, which caused her to scream.

Ballard told the woman to “shut up and stop yelling” and tightened his hold around her neck, which stopped her from screaming and made it difficult for her to breathe.

Ethan Connor Ballard pleaded guilty to charges of common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting in Bundaberg District Court on Thursday.

After holding the woman in a headlock for around 30 seconds, Ballard released her and said “if I go to jail you’re dead”, the court heard.

Judge Everson told the court that in a victim impact statement the woman said she has panic attacks when going grocery shopping, and that Ballard “stripped her of her soul”.

The woman said Ballard has “taken away her ability to live a normal life again”, the court heard.

The court heard Ballard had an extensive criminal history involving domestic violence, including punching and choking a previous partner to the back of her head and standing over his mother with his chest puffed out and his fists clenched when she attempted to protect his partner from him.

The court heard Ballard has an extensive criminal history involving domestic violence, including punching a previous partner to the back of her head, grabbing her by the hair, punching her in the mouth and lower back, and squeezing her throat to the point of her collapsing.

Ballard also appeared in Bundaberg Magistrates Court for an incident involving his mother where he stood over her “with his chest puffed out” and his fists clenched when she attempted to protect his partner from him.

Ballard’s defence barrister, Phillip Hardcastle, told the court Ballard had worked briefly in the retail industry and was receiving Job Seeker payments at the time of the offending.

The court heard Ballard had been a heavy cannabis user, with some limited use of methamphetamine.

Judge Everson said deterrence was a significant factor in his sentencing of Ballard, given his history of domestic violence.

“Serious domestic violence is a real problem in our community and people like you damage so many people, and it has to stop,” Judge Everson said,

Judge Everson gave Ballard a head sentence of three years with a parole release date of August 5, 2024 taking into account 123 days served in pre-sentence custody.