Man freed on bail stabs wife to death in front of kids
DETAILS have emerged of David Bradford’s horrific attack on his wife just two months ago — the attack after which he was freed on bail, only to go back and kill her in front of their children yesterday.
Crime & Justice
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POLICE pleaded in vain with a domestic violence magistrate to keep Gold Coast wife killer David Bradford behind bars after he allegedly gaffer-taped his estranged partner’s mouth shut, punched her so severely she blacked out and dragged her across the floor by her hair.
Bradford, 52, was released from jail on bail two weeks ago after being charged with a violent attack on wife Teresa, 40, on November 28.
Yesterday, he broke into their Matas Drive home at Pimpama and stabbed her to death in front of their four children before killing himself.
The children ran to a neighbour’s house to raise the alarm.
Mrs Bradford is the fifth Gold Coast woman to be murdered by her partner in the past 16 months.
Her husband had been in custody since the November incident, over which he was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawful strangling, deprivation of liberty, and domestic violence-related common assault.
Despite objections from police who said he was in a “fragile mental state” and was “an unreasonable risk of causing self-harm or harm towards others”, Bradford was released on bail on January 12.
Specialist Gold Coast domestic violence Magistrate Colin Strofield allowed Bradford to be released on bail after his Legal Aid-funded lawyer argued there was no criminal history, no independent witnesses and Bradford had been in custody for 44 days.
The police who charged Bradford alleged the disability pensioner — who was already stressed about his wife wanting to leave him and believed she was having an affair — snapped after receiving a phone call about his medical condition.
Police alleged he slapped his wife, placed gaffer-tape over her mouth and punched her in the face until she blacked out.
She lost control of her bladder and bowels and was then dragged by the hair into the kitchen.
When she tried to call 000, Bradford sat on top of her and threw the phone away before choking her with his forearm.
After pinning his wife to the ground for 25 minutes, Bradford then went to the bedroom and returned with some rope, a pocket knife and box cutter, which he said he was going to use to tie her up.
When police arrived, Bradford was holding a rope and threatening to kill himself.
His bail conditions required him to live at a Brisbane CBD hotel, report to police and not go within 100m of his wife except for court appearances. Bradford’s lawyer Mark Donnelly said yesterday that he was “gobsmacked” at the tragedy as there were “no indications whatsoever that he would do what he did”.
“He was in my office only two weeks ago, a family member spoke to him just yesterday and he seemed fine,” Mr Donnelly, of Krosen and Co. Lawyers, said.
“He had accepted the relationship had irretrievably broken down and was accepting of the very restrictive bail conditions that had been imposed, including having no contact with his partner.”
Mr Donnelly said Bradford was planning to defend most of the charges and was entitled to bail ahead of a committal hearing in March.
Bradford’s bail hearing heard he was penniless and homeless with no access to his children.
Mr Strofield and Chief Magistrate Ray Rinaudo declined to comment yesterday.
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said it was “too early to be discussing the circumstances around the individuals involved, including any reports about bail”.
“This matter is before the police and may possibly come before the Coroner or the Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Board,” Ms D’Ath said yesterday. “This is an extremely tragic incident.
“We know from reports that children are involved and our thoughts go out to those children and friends and family at this very difficult time.”
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