‘Dragged 100m by the hair’: abuser put behind bars

A 41-year-old Widgee civil engineer wiped the tears from his eyes as he was sentenced to nine months jail for hitting his partner and dragging her by the hair after she woke him up because she was cold and needed to go to the toilet.

A 41-year-old Widgee civil engineer was sentenced to nine months behind bars on Monday after he dragged his partner for 100m by her hair and gave her a mild concussion in April, after she woke him up.​​

A 41-year-old Widgee civil engineer was sentenced to nine months behind bars on Monday after he dragged his partner for 100m by her hair and gave her a mild concussion in April, after she woke him up.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared unrepresented in Gympie Magistrates Court via video link from pre-sentence custody and pleaded guilty to breaching a DVO on April 24, 2021.

The court heard he also committed the offence while on parole, which was suspended.

He could be seen wiping away tears throughout his appearance.

Police prosecutor Melissa Campbell said the man and the victim were homeless at the time, living between friends houses and camping in parks.

Police were called at 5.30am on April 24 from a Glanmire rest area, after a campervan owner heard a woman scream.

When they arrived, the victim said she had woken the man as she was cold and needed to go to the toilet, which somehow enraged him.

She said he called her several names including a junkie wh---, a sl-- and a mental patient, before he struck her in the nose, grabbed her by the hair at the top of her head and threw her from the tent they were sleeping in.

Sgt Campbell said the man then grabbed the victim by the hair again and dragged her almost 100m to the toilet block, where he insisted he be present while she urinated.

The abuse stopped after a passer-by intervened.

The victim was taken to hospital by police where she was treated for a mild concussion, a secondary head injury and a sprained wrist.

Sgt Campbell said when police questioned the man on his actions, he denied any physical violence and said the victim was having a psychotic episode.

He was taken into pre-sentence custody the same day.

The man told the court he was remorseful, and was enrolled in cognitive therapy while in custody.

He will be released on parole on September 23, 2021.