Faces behind Ipswich‘s most monstrous domestic violence acts
From violent threats and arson to blood-soaked nights of horror, shocking acts of domestic violence are on the rise in Ipswich according to the latest police data. See the faces behind some of Ipswich’s worst acts of domestic violence.
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An alarming number of people pass through the Ipswich courthouse for domestic violence offences daily.
Across the Ipswich district over the past decade, police statistics show the number of domestic violence offenders who have allegedly breached protection orders spikes each year – with last month having the highest number of reported breaches on record, according to Queensland Crime Statistics.
CEO for the Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC), Amie Carrington told The Queensland Times in June that increasing trust in police may be a contributing factor to this increase – having observed a 45 per cent increase in police referrals in the last 12 months.
However, she said she suspects “on some level that there has been an actual increase [in DV cases] as well”.
Ms Carrington said environmental events like COVID-19, the floods, and the housing crisis would have likely had a significant impact, and that DVAC has observed increasing numbers of self-referrals on top of increased police referrals since the start of COVID-19.
Ms Carrington also explained the vast majority of domestic violence perpetrators are men who target women or children, and their behaviour stems from a number complicated and contributory factors including toxic masculinity, beliefs, and values.
“This is not about ‘men are bad and women are good’,” she said.
“It’s about a society that teaches ideas of toxic masculinity around concepts of identity, and that the perpetrator has a right to own that person, or own that person’s children … and entitlement that they believe they have a right to harm other people.”
On May 26, 2022 Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Shannon Fentiman announced a trial program would be rolled out in Ipswich.
Ms Fentiman said the trial program seeks to better support survivors of domestic violence during the court process by allowing the use of police body-worn camera footage.
“This can reduce trauma for survivors by avoiding the task of telling their story multiple times and can reduce the opportunity for offenders to intimidate victims,” she said.
“The reforms … will further strengthen our response by ensuring our justice system supports victims in a trauma informed way when they come forward.”
Here are the faces behind some of Ipswich’s most shocking recent domestic violence cases:
RHYS BAYLISS
Somerset man Rhys Mark Francis Bayliss was jailed for four-and-a-half years earlier this year after he subjected his then partner to a night of protracted violence.
The Ipswich court heard at the time the woman’s whole body had been beaten, her neck was grabbed on multiple occasions, and she was suffocated.
Crown prosecutor Michelle Parfitt said that during the assault the woman suffocated on her blood which had filled her mouth from a broken nose.
Bayliss pleaded guilty in April 2022 to the following domestic violence charges: assault causing bodily harm, common assault, and choking suffocation.
TEREMOANA JUNIOR BEN
Teremoana Junior Ben faced court earlier this year after burning a woman’s house down in 2020.
The court heard at the time that he harassed his then partner with a barrage of terrifying calls and messages.
He further told the woman he was going to kill her, and threatened to burn her house down.
The next day, he followed through on the later threat, and the woman’s house was reduced to ashes.
Ben pleaded guilty in March, 2022, to domestic violence charges of arson and threatening to kill via a carriage service.
Judge Horneman-Wren sentenced Ben to a suspended three and a half years imprisonment, and declared 486 days of presentence custody time served.
MATTHEW BONHAM
Matthew Warren Bonham was sentenced last year for three brutal assaults on a woman in which she was kicked, punched, and choked.
The beatings occurred over a nine-month period in 2021, and the court heard Bonham yelled at the defenceless mother during one of the assaults saying he would murder her.
Magistrate Peter Saggers told Bonham his behaviour was extremely concerning, brutal, and relentless.
Bonham pleaded guilty to three charges of strangulation DV, seven charges of common assault DV, contravening a DV order, possessing drugs, and possessing drug utensils.
He was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment – to be suspended after 12 months for a period of four years.
ROBERT CLOUDY
Booval dad Richard Robert Kura Cloudy was recently jailed for a relentless assault on a woman in 2020.
Cloudy had been arguing with the woman at her house, when he told her to “f**k off” and warned her “you’re making me angry”.
The court heard Cloudy repeatedly punched the woman as she screamed at him to stop, but he covered her mouth to muffle the screams and continued to assault her.
Cloudy pleaded guilty on July 22 to assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence), two breaches of a domestic violence order, and once count of enter premises and commit indictable offence by break.
He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, and his parole release was set for November 21, 2022.
AARON DELAMERE
Aaron Delamere was sentenced earlier this year for repeatedly threatening to kill his ex-wife.
The court heard that the 50-year-old father had called the woman more than 30 times during a 4.5-hour window, threatening to stab and shoot her.
The victim impact statement described how the woman felt “fearful” both at the time of the offending and later; however, she indicated to the court she had forgiven Delamere and asked for leniency.
Delamere pleaded guilty on May 26 to one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence.
He was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment with release after 55 days, upon the giving of $500 recognisance.
JACK HERRMANN
An apprentice butcher with a bullet in his brain faced Ipswich court in April after attacking his mother when she refused to buy him cannabis.
The court heard at the time that in December, 2020, Herrmann pushed his mother over and hit her in the face.
He further picked up her television and smashed it on the ground.
Herrmann then confronted her again the next day, yelling “when are you getting my drugs,” calling her a “junkie c**t”, and threatening to kill her.
Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said Herrmann’s offending was influenced by mental health and drug issues, and that he suffered lead poisoning from a bullet lodged in his head.
Herrmann pleaded guilty to two charges of common assault, wilful damage, a fuel drive off, weapon possession, entering a dwelling without consent, unlawful use of a car, receiving tainted property, obstructing police, failing to appear in accordance with an undertaking and breaching a court order.
He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, with immediate parole release.
UNIQUE KALOLO
Unique Lissa Syretha Tuisauta Kalolo faced Ipswich Court earlier this year after she attacked her partner during a terrifying home invasion.
The court heard at the time how the enraged pregnant woman took an Uber to her boyfriend’s home after she found out he had used her car to meet with an ex-partner.
Kalolo barged into the man’s home, yelling “where is she? You’re dead. I know she’s here.”
She searched the home and kicked a hole through a door, before hurling a glass vase at her partner.
The court heard Kalolo then grabbed him by the hair and brandished a shard of broken glass at him as a weapon – and later beat his face and upper body.
Kalolo left after police were called – smashing a window on her way out – but she returned before long, and the man found a knife in his bedroom door.
Kalolo pleaded guilty on February 15 to assault causing bodily harm while armed in company, entering a dwelling to commit an indictable offence, entering a dwelling with intent while in company, threatening violence and wilful damage.
She was sentenced to 18 months jail and immediately released on parole.
WILLIAM KARRASCH
Karalee man William Karrasch faced Ipswich court after he attacked a woman on multiple occasions at his home and while driving.
A court heard the 24-year-old man had beaten, dragged, and strangled the woman which left her traumatised.
Crown prosecutor Amy Stannard said on one occasion on April 24, 2020, Karrasch dragged the woman by her hair while screaming and repeatedly hitting her head against a wall.
Prosecutor Stannard said when the woman tried to flee the home Karrasch threatened her with a knife and stabbed nearby furniture.
At the Ipswich Magistrates Court on February 21, 2022, the young dad pleaded guilty to 11 charges including assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation.
Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren sentenced Karrasch to a three year jail term with immediate parole.
The almost 10 months Karrasch spent in pre-sentence custody was declared time served.
CHRISTOPHER MORTENSEN
Springfield Lakes man Christopher William Mortensen faced court for assaulting his sister on May 16, 2021.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull said during a “cowardly attack” Mortensen threatened to stab the woman before chasing her down and punching her in the face.
Sergeant Turnbull said the woman suffered a similar assault at the hands of her 27-year-old brother in 2017, in which he had pulled out a box cutting knife and shouted “I’m going to stab her”.
At the Ipswich Magistrates Court on Friday May 20, Mortensen pleaded guilty to common assault and was sentenced to three months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
CARLIN O’LEARY
Carlin Michael Joseph O’Leary was jailed this year for strangling a woman in front of her six-year-old son.
The 38-year-old Raceview man pleaded guilty on July 14 to assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence) and strangulation in a domestic setting.
The court heard at the time that O’Leary had argued with a woman on February 7, 2021, while they were at his home with his eight-year-old son and the woman’s six-year-old son.
As the argument became more heated, the woman threw a stick vacuum at O’Leary – who then punched her in the arm, grabbed her by the throat and held her on the ground.
The court heard that the woman’s vision blurred and she made a gargling sound, as her son screamed “let my mummy go”.
Judge Amanda McDonnell sentenced O’Leary to 10 months imprisonment for assault occasioning bodily harm and 18 months for strangulation in a domestic setting offence.
O’Leary’s parole release date was set for six months time, on January 13, 2023.
COREY PLOWMAN
Redbank Plains man Corey Jack Plowman faced court for whipping his ex-girlfriend during an “abhorrent” and “demeaning” attack in October 2021.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Donna Kay said the attack left multiple marks on the woman’s body.
The 29-year-old roofer’s lawyer said a verbal argument has sparked the assault.
Magistrate Clare Kelly said Plowman’s behaviour was “demeaning and outrageous.
“I’ve seen the marks on the aggrieved, it is a most abhorrent act that you committed,” she said.
At the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday, May 9, Plowman pleaded to assault occasioning bodily harm, wilful damage, and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
PAUL WEYMOUTH
Serial domestic violence offender Paul Douglas Weymouth was jailed for multiple bashings earlier this year.
At the time, court heard he attacked a woman just hours after being released from jail in December, 2021.
“He punched her to the ear/cheek bone area then grabbed her by the neck and dragged her into the garage,” said Sergeant Nick Turnbull.
The court heard Weymouth had been angry at his partner for spending money that he had planned to put towards the funeral of his recently deceased grandson.
Weymouth’s criminal history was peppered with domestic violence offences, and he had previously completed domestic violence programs and counselling while on parole in 2019.
During his parole in 2019, he completed programs and counselling that were designed to stop men from committing acts of domestic violence.
The father of five pleaded guilty to two charges of common assault, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.
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