23yo in jail after hitting girlfriend so hard her nose bled

The Gympie man with a history of hitting women, was convicted of six crimes and will spend Christmas in jail

After whacking his partner across the face and causing a blood nose, as well as committing five other offences, the 23-year-old Gympie man will spend this Christmas in jail. Picture: File

A 23-year-old Gympie man will spend Christmas behind bars for six crimes, including hitting his girlfriend so hard he gave her a bloodied nose.

The man, who was on Centrelink before going to jail, breached a domestic violence order taken out against him by his girlfriend twice, first in May, then again in October.

He also drove unlicensed on the Southside on June 1, failed to stop when told to by police that same day, and failed to turn up for two court appearances.

Police prosecutor Melissa Campbell said the most serious offence was the DVO breach in May, when he became physically violent.

“My submission would be that this charge before the court attracts a period of imprisonment and a period of actual imprisonment in relation to that matter,” Sergeant Campbell said.

“Your honour, can see that it's a matter of actual physical violence – a palm to the face resulting in a blood nose of a person that he was in an intimate relationship with.”

Sgt Campbell told the court the man had been convicted of domestic violence with previous partners.

“Which shows this defendant is clearly not understanding when the court and society is telling him that it is not acceptable to behave in this manner toward people who he is in a relationship with,” she said.

“The community at large has an expectation that people who commit ongoing domestic violence and people who commit domestic violence with physical violence such as this, should be seriously looking at a period of imprisonment.”

Solicitor Nightingale told the court the man had moved to Gympie in 2016, but intended to move back to Canberra to avoid the “temptation” of getting back with the victim.

“He grew up in a family environment where drugs and unemployment were the norm,” Ms Nightingale said.

First using cannabis at the age of 13, Ms Nightingale said the man could not remember a time when his family did not use illicit substances.

Magistrate Callaghan said society “looks down upon” the behaviour that the defendant had been displaying.

“He’s made a lot of poor decisions,” Mr Callaghan said.

He sentenced the defendant to eight months jail, suspended after two months.

The man had already served 50 days in custody so will be released on December 28.

His licence was disqualified for three months.

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