Jason Andrew Nutt pleads guilty to strangulation, assault occasioning bodily harm

Driving down a dark road a man, whose identity can now be revealed, took an unexpected turn onto a dirt track. What followed was an ordeal fit for a horror movie script.

The Bundaberg man chased his ex-partner through an orchard, first in a car then on foot.

A Bundaberg man will remain behind bars after pleading guilty over a terrifying ordeal in which he chased his ex-partner through an orchard late at night while threatening to kill her.

Jason Andrew Nutt pleaded guilty to multiple domestic violence offences including strangulation, common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and three counts of contravening a domestic violence order aggravated offence.

Bundaberg District Court heard Nutt had a prolonged history of domestic violence including against three separate women.

Nutt appeared in prison greens in court on Thursday February 29, facing a string of charges against two women – an ex-partner and a current partner.

Crown Prosecutor Anika Fritz told the court the 42-year-old had split from his former partner which had resulted in a protection order prohibiting him from seeing her when the pair met on March 24, 2023 to discuss shared property.

While on a night drive towards his house about 10pm, the man confronted the woman about who she had been spending time with and then, “did not take the required turn”.

“During the course of that argument he placed his arm around her throat and applied such pressure that she couldn’t breathe,” Ms Fritz said.

“He continued to drive down a dirt road, before he pulled over, she tried to get out of the car and he placed his arm around her throat again.”

Nutt drove further down the road before parking the car close to a tree, preventing the woman from opening the door to leave the car.

“She intended to show him her phone, and he hit her with an open hand to the right side of her mouth and backhanded her to the left side of the mouth,” Ms Fritz said.

“This caused instant pain.”

Ms Fritz told the court the assault did not stop there, as Nutt then punched her in the mouth, loosening her teeth to such a degree she would be later required to wear a brace.

Jason Andrew Nutt appeared in the Bundaberg Courthouse.

The court heard the woman was able to escape the car through a back window, before fleeing through a surrounding macadamia orchard while calling police, as Nutt chased her in the car and then on foot.

“He gave chase and told her to get in the car or he would kill her,” Ms Fritz said.

Left with no escape, the woman returned to Nutt though as they drove away, police intervened and arrested him.

Barrister Liam Dollar appeared for Nutt and told the court despite a happy childhood and a positive work history, Nutt had become addicted to meth in later life and this addiction ended his first marriage.

Judge Leanne Clare was critical of the submission and said the drug’s “insidious” presence in the Bundaberg community was a “scourge” which had made itself known in several court sentences before her in the preceding days.

Mr Dollar submitted Nutt was apologetic for his crimes before the court and had made strides to address his mental health and addiction.

Judge Clare was once again critical of this submission and said it was likely Nutt had been remorseful in previous court appearances for similar charges.

“There comes a point in reoffending when those sorts of matters in your favour start to lose significance in the sentence because it’s a matter of how sorry you are if you just keep on doing the same things,” she said.

Nutt was given a three-and-a-half-year head sentence for the strangulation charge, with concurrent sentences of two years’ imprisonment for assault occasioning bodily harm, 18 months for common assault and 18 months per contravention of domestic violence order.

Time spent in pre-sentence custody between September 24, 2023 and February 28, 2024 was declared time served and he will be released on parole on May 25, 2024.