Curra man jailed for domestic violence, driving under influence

The 35-year-old Curra man is behind bars following a series of horrific events involving domestic violence, drug driving and dangerous driving.

The victim hid in another room with their two young children and elderly father, before the man forced his way in and ripped one of the children from her arms, pushing her backwards into her elderly father, and fleeing the house with the two crying children.

A 35-year-old Curra man will be released from jail just before Christmas, after he was convicted of a series of horrific domestic violence incidents and dangerous driving that led to a crash.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fronted Gympie Magistrates Court on Tuesday via videolink from Maryborough Correctional Centre.

He pleaded guilty to eight charges, including three breaches of a DVO, dangerous driving, possessing meth and a used needle, evasion, driving under the influence and failing to provide a blood sample.

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The offences began on March 14, when the man arrived at his ex-partner’s house in Gympie and began a verbal argument accusing her of cheating on him, the court heard.

The police prosecutor said the victim hid in another room with their two young children and elderly father, before the man forced his way in and ripped one of the children from her arms.

He pushed the victim backwards into her elderly father, and fled the house with the two crying children.

The man would breach the order twice more, once on April 27 and once on April 28, when he showed up at 2.30am.

Police arrived as the man was reversing out of the driveway, where he pulled a U-turn and sped up the street, heavily breaking and driving on the wrong side of the road.

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He later crashed into a telegraph pole, and hid from police before he was arrested, the court heard.

The police prosecutor said the man was under the influence of drugs, and meth and a used needle were found in his pocket, but he refused to give a blood sample.

Defence lawyer Neesha Maidwell told the court her client blamed the incidents on having a “particularly awful day” which spiralled, though he said it was no excuse.

She said there were no injuries to the victim, and her client refused to give a blood sample because of a fear of needles.

He was given a head sentence of two years behind bars, but was ordered to serve one third with 112 days in presentence custody declared as time served.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan said he lessened the number of days behind bars so the man’s children could see him for Christmas.

He will be released on parole on December 22.