Adam Ronald Hawke pleads guilty to assault causing bodily harm, unlawful possession of weapons

A man has been jailed over the latest in a series of offences of violence against women.

A man has been jailed after pleading guilty to domestic violence, weapon and drug offences this week.

A MAN who abused his girlfriend and fractured her eye socket with a brutal punch to her face has been sentenced to a 2 ½ year jail term.

Ipswich Magistrates Court heard the 35-year-old defendant also made threats to kill the woman.

Adam Ronald Hawke, 35, from Raceview, appeared from jail via video-link for sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm – domestic violence offence on March 23; unlawful possession of weapons; two breaches of his bail; possession of dangerous drugs; unlawful possession of restricted drugs; and possession of a knife in public.

Prosecutor Sergeant Chris O’Neill said Hawke had spent 137 days in custody, with his offending regarded by police as being extreme violence in a domestic setting.

Sgt O’Neill said Hawke fractured the woman’s eye socket and caused fractures to her left wrist and thumb, and there had been other punches including blows to her arm.

Hawke had been on bail for some of the offences that occurred between October 2020 and March 23 this year.

“He has shown a contemptuous disregard for court orders,” Sgt O’Neill said.

The prosecutor also outlined details in court including Hawke slashing the woman’s car tyre, making a threat to kill, and pulling her hair.

The court heard police found Hawke walking along Warwick Rd while in possession of butterfly knives.

Sgt O’Neill said Hawke’s offences were aggravated by his criminal history that included jail terms for assault causing bodily harm to a female who was punched in the mouth.

In that 2017 crime Hawke had briefly choked the female and when she screamed had shoved his fingers into her mouth.

In another assault conviction Hawke spat on a woman, the court was told.

Defence lawyer Kurt McDonald said Hawke had been distressed after finding the body of his father in November 2018.

Mr McDonald said Hawke used ice, alcohol and cannabis, and suffered depression and anxiety.

The court heard Hawke was remorseful for his conduct.

Magistrate David Shepherd told Hawke that many people throughout their lives experienced incidents that had an adverse impact on them, and that finding his father’s body would have been difficult, however, he said it did not explain his previous conduct on his history.

He noted that his court appearances became more frequent in 2017 and included domestic violence offences.

Mr Shepherd said the offences before the court spoke of an ongoing pattern of abuse.

“There were fractures to her left eye socket, wrist and thumb. Also injuries to her right hand and wrist,” Mr Shepherd said.

“Facts reveal an ongoing pattern of threatening and emotional abuse.”

Mr Shepherd sentenced Hawke to a jail term of 2 ½ years for assault causing bodily harm.

He received concurrent terms of 12 months jail and six months jail for the other offences.

Taking into account 137 the days spent in custody, Hawke was granted parole release on January 29, 2022.