Hervey Bay’s Allan Rae sentenced for choking, assault occasioning bodily harm

Bruised and with clumps of hair being torn from her head, a mother thought she was going to die as her husband of four decades stood over her with a knife. *Warning: Distressing content

A Hervey Bay grandfather, who launched a savage attack on his wife of 41 years, will spend time behind bars after he admitted to choking and punching her.

Allan Rae, 64, pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay District Court to choking, threatening violence, wilful damage, assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault.

The court heard the father of three had been drinking on and off for three days when the attack began.

As a result of Rae’s intoxicated state, his wife had called their son, who had been bringing his family over for dinner that night, to cancel their plans.

Rae overheard the exchange and became angry, the court was told.

As he became verbally aggressive, his wife attempted to leave, but he took the car keys and stomped on her phone.

“I’d like to see you try to contact police,” Rae said.

The attack became physical, with Rae punching his wife in the eye, causing her to yell and cry, the court was told.

He grabbed her by the hair and threw her on the floor, then knelt on her, placing his knee on her chest, and putting his hand around her throat.

The woman became breathless and was afraid she would die, the court heard, and clumps of her hair were also ripped out.

“I hate you. I’m going to kill you, b***h,” Rae told the woman.

Rae then went to the kitchen to get a knife and made a series of threats while standing over his wife

“I don’t give a f**k about the kids, I just hate you and want you gone,” he said.

The woman managed to calm him down, the court was told.

The next day, the woman met with her daughter-in-law and went to the doctor.

She also got a new phone to replace the one Rae had stomped on.

When his wife arrived home, she began packing some items and put the dogs in the car, the court heard.

But when she tried to leave, Rae told her “there’s no f**king way you’re going anywhere”.

The woman’s son and daughter-in-law arrived and the police were called.

When he was breath tested, Rae returned a reading of 0.167 per cent.

The woman was taken to hospital and kept under observation after suffering extensive bruising.

When his wife arrived home, she began packing some items and put the dogs in the car, the court heard.

The court heard Rae had spent 64 days in pre-sentence custody, which had “been hard on him”.

Rae would be the first to admit he had a “very large problem” with alcohol, the court was told, but he had not touched a drop since the day of the assault.

He had joined a men’s group in an effort to change his behaviour.

Judge Nathan Jarro described Rae’s actions as “cowardly” and said his drinking did not excuse his behaviour.

“The community does not tolerate violence against females,” he said.

But he said Rae had seen the effects that his offending had taken on his wife and his time in custody had been a “big wake up call”.

Rae was given a head sentence of two and a half years in prison, to be released on parole after four months.

A release date was set for June 17.

He was also ordered to pay $2500 in compensation to his wife.

Convictions were recorded.

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