Father of nine Zacheriah Akech Kuir repeatedly punches woman in front of his young daughter

A father of nine has pleaded guilty to an alcohol-fuelled assault carried out in front of his young daughter so bad she had to call emergency services.

Zacheriah Akech Kuir, 52, faced Ipswich District Court yesterday after repeatedly punching a woman in front of his nine-year-old daughter last year.

An interpreter was present throughout the proceedings to assist Kuir with translation.

The court heard that on the evening of August 6 2021, Kuir was at his home with his youngest daughter and a woman.

Kuir had been drinking and yelled at the woman, calling her derogatory names.

While his daughter was present, Kuir used a clenched fist to punch the woman in the face three times and push her into a wall.

Kuir’s daughter called emergency services and the police took Kuir into custody later that day.

Police could not interview Kuir on the day due to his level of intoxication, and Kuir has remained in custody since.

The woman was taken to Ipswich Hospital, where she was treated for a large haematoma she had sustained on the right side of her forehead. She further reported tenderness to some parts of her body.

“The injuries I have just seen in that photo are totally unacceptable,” said Judge Jennifer Rosengren.

“She did not do one single thing to deserve any of this – and he treats her like that in front of his daughter … How can I trust him to behave himself when he gets out into the community?”

The woman chose not to put forward a victim impact statement, but the prosecutor, Mr Lovett said “there’s no doubt it would have been a terrifying experience – no doubt for the complainant, but also [Kuir’s] young daughter”.

Zacheriah Akech Kuir. Picture: Facebook

On May 31 2022, Kuir pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.

The court heard that Kuir has a relevant criminal history of alcohol-related offending dating back to 2013; Kuir had suffered an injury that year that affected his ability to work.

He grew up in South Sedan, and briefly lived in a refugee camp in Kenya before moving to Australia in 2008.

“I am concerned that the offending was entirely unprovoked, and occurred in the presence of your impressionable young daughter,” Judge Rosengren said.

She insisted Kuir’s defence lawyer take more time to discuss Kuir’s strategies to deter alcohol misuse.

“I’m not letting him out today until he can tell me what he’s going to do to behave himself,” she said.

Kuir said he would seek assistance at a program in Redbank Plains and reside with his eldest daughter, who has children of her own and “will not tolerate him drinking”.

Judge Rosengren noted Kuir would have the best prospects for rehabilitation under supervision, but that those procedures were complicated by his refugee visa.

Kuir ultimately received an 18-month suspended sentence.

268 of his 298 days spent in custody were declared time served, and the conviction was recorded.