Two men charged this week in Gympie court for domestic violence

Shocking cases of domestic violence in the presence of children have been unveiled before the Gympie Magistrate Court this week. Here’s what’s happening behind closed doors:

Two terrible cases of domestic violence have been before Gympie Magistrates Court this week.

One man, who locked his partner and child outside in the cold, pleaded guilty six charges including three contraventions of a domestic violence order.

The man was also charged with stealing, breaching a bail act and possessing a cone piece.

He had attended gone to his ex-partner’s home on November 14, 2021 where he displayed physical violence towards the woman in an argument and damaged her property.

The man had initially locked his ex-partner out of her own home to separate her from their young daughter, the court heard.

He then allowed her to retrieve their daughter to join her mother outside.

Both mother and child were forced to endure the cold and wet as the man refused to let them inside.

On the same day, the man, while drunk, had stolen alcohol from the Rainbow Beach Sports Club before turning himself into police.

The man breached the domestic violence order again only two months later on January 15, 2022 where he pushed his ex-partner against the wall.

The woman had slapped him across the face in self-defence, the court heard.

He then pushed her around in her bedroom, until the man’s father intervened to protect her.

The man racked up a third contravention charge on May 25, 2022 after calling and messaging the victims a number of times.

He had told the daughter “your mum is f---ing another bloke”.

“Domestic violence is a stain on our community,” Magistrate Raelene Ellis told the man.

“Children deserve to be protected as well.”

The man was placed on a 12-month probation order and he must not enter within 100m or take up contact with his ex-partner or his daughter unless given written consent.

He was ordered to pay restitution for the stealing offence.

Convictions were recorded.

The man was sentenced in Gympie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Another man was sentenced in Gympie court earlier this week, pleading guilty for a contravention of domestic violence order after he shouted threats while his child was present.

Police attended a Gympie region residence of a woman and her son on March 13, 2022.

The defendant was also living at the residence, Sergeant Melissa Campbell told the court.

During the investigation, the woman showed police a video she created the day prior at about 5pm.

The video depicted the man verbally threatening the mother in front of their son:

“I’ll stick your f---ing head in the mud and you won’t f---ing breathe anymore and all that,” he said to the woman.

He then proceeded to flip up his middle finger directed at the woman, the court heard.

The video resumed to show the continuous pleas of his young child to “stop being mean.”

However, the child’s cries were ignored by his father.

“It’s quite concerning behaviour,” acting Magistrate Ellis said.

The man had participated in a record of interview and the video was shown to the man by police.

On seeing the video, the man attributed his behaviour to intoxication and told police there had been a fight before the video was taken.

He confirmed to police he had written consent to attend the woman’s home.

He said they’d both consumed alcohol prior and were having an argument for two full hours, the court heard.

The man had since taken steps to reduce alcohol consumption, including the Men Choosing Change program by his own undertaking, the court heard.

The man was placed on a probation order for 12 months and convictions were recorded.