Gladstone man held kitchen knife to pregnant girlfriend’s stomach

A Central Queensland man who held a kitchen knife to his pregnant girlfriend’s stomach while verbally abusing her has faced court again after another shocking attack.

A man held a kitchen knife to his pregnant partner’s stomach while verbally abusing her, a court heard. Generic image.

A man who held a kitchen knife to his pregnant partner’s stomach while verbally abusing her, has found himself back in court after another shocking incident.

The 29-year-old, who by law cannot be named, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court on December 13 to contravening a domestic violence order (aggravated offence).

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jessica McLaren said on November 23, the man and his girlfriend were at a government building at Gladstone when he made derogatory comments to her in front of staff there.

The court heard that the man called his girlfriend “a dumb c---” and told her he “didn’t have to put up with all of her bulls---.”

Snr Const. McLaren said the man had previously been sentenced this year to a term of imprisonment with parole for numerous DVO breaches and also common assault against his girlfriend.

The prosecutor said that offending involved the man, after finding out his girlfriend was pregnant to him, grabbing a kitchen knife and holding it to her stomach while verbally abusing her.

“Furthermore, the current offence before the court was committed while he was subject to a period of suspended sentence that was imposed (in October) … again for an aggravated domestic violence offence,” Snr Const. McLaren said.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The court heard that the man had a six-page criminal history and the prosecution described the couple’s relationship as “toxic.”

“And they are considered by police to be a high-risk couple who are subject to numerous calls for service,” Snr Const. McLaren said.

“The (man) has not taken accountability for his actions and denies the harm it causes to the aggrieved.”

Solicitor Jun Pepito said prior to the government building incident, the woman had “been in the man’s ear” and he became frustrated.

Mr Pepito said the “real problem” was the man’s foul mouth, and even when the solicitor had spoken to him, “every second word” was a swear word.

Mr Pepito said that “might not be normal for us, but it was normal for him.”

Magistrate Mary Buchanan took into account the man had spent 13 days in pre-sentence custody.

She sentenced him to two months’ jail, activated the suspended sentence, and fixed immediate parole eligibility.

A conviction was recorded.