Russell Glenn Thomas pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault

A mum of two has detailed the effects of years of attacks on her, sometimes in front of her children, at the hands of her husband and has vowed to find a more peaceful life.

Russell Glenn Thomas, 36, pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including assault occasioning bodily harm, three common assault offences and wilful damage, when he faced Hervey Bay District Court on Tuesday.

A mum’s heart-wrenching victim impact statement has been read to a court after her husband pleaded guilty to a series of violent offences against her.

Russell Glenn Thomas, 36, pleaded guilty to a number of offences including assault occasioning bodily harm, three common assault offences and wilful damage, when he faced Hervey Bay District Court on Tuesday.

The court heard Thomas had committed a number of violent offences and property offences against his wife, Chloe Brown, whom he had married in 2019.

The two had lived together at a home in Sunshine Acres, the court heard, and the offences had happened over a number of years, at times when children were present.

A statement from Ms Brown was then read by the crown prosecutor as she watched on from the back of the court.

Ms Brown’s statement said she was a clinical nurse and was 32 years old, working in the mental health sector.

She is a single mum to two children.

Ms Brown said in the statement her relationship had been a cycle of highs and lows, rushes of adrenaline and intense feelings of fight or flight.

Ms Brown said she had become “entangled in the cycle of violence” and reconciliation, where each episode heightened her fear and state of panic, countered by times when she was given promises of change and told she was the love of his life, the person he couldn’t live without.

“There is no denying it – I loved you wholeheartedly, but instead of reciprocating it you punished me for loving you,” she said in the statement.

She had sacrificed her family and friends for the relationship, the woman said, and stood with him through his challenges.

“I chose you Russell, every single time, and you will never find someone who loved you like I did,” Ms Brown wrote.

She said he had taken advantage of her nurturing traits and turned her into a “shell of a woman”, alone, isolated, deflated, defensive and bruised.

Chloe Brown shared a heart-wrenching victim impact statement with the court.

Ms Brown said he had stolen precious moments with her son she could never get back.

She said she had now created a safe space for her children, one in which they would never be “abruptly awakened by violence and forced to flee”.

“This will not be their life or ever again,” she said.

“Your actions have been destructive, ignorant and selfish,” she said.

“You are truly incapable of loving another human being because you hate yourself.”
Thomas’ alcoholism had cast a “constant dark shadow” over their lives, the statement read.

The woman said she had needed to relearn how to manage her emotions and triggers, which could be set off by something as simple as country music and certain smells.

Ms Brown had to take medication for constant, severe anxiety.

But she said she had found her strength in the face of cruelty and knew she deserved love, respect and a peaceful life.

In Thomas’ defence, the court heard he was taking steps to address his issues with alcohol.

It was suggested that Thomas was also a victim of verbal and physical abuse during the course of the relationship.

The court heard that was not an attempt to “victim blame” but to provide context for the relationship, which had a “very nuanced and complicated cycle of violence”.

Judge Brad Farr said there had been a volatile relationship between Thomas and his wife.

He said it was clear Thomas has issues with alcohol and that contributed to his poor behaviour in a domestic setting.

Judge Farr said domestic violence was a scourge on society and the offending had involved a number of events over a lengthy period of time and had impacted on Thomas’ partner and children.

But he said Thomas had taken some positive steps, including addressing his alcohol problems and undertaking the Choosing Change program for men.

Judge Farr sentenced Thomas to nine months in prison, suspended for an operational period of 18 months.

He was also sentenced to 18 months on probation.

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