Branded forever: Byron Conall Campbell sentenced for horrific DV acts

A man who hogtied and branded his girlfriend with a hot knife after beating her unconscious has walked free after his sentence today.

Byron Conall Campbell was sentenced on February 15, 2023, for horrific domestic violence offending. Picture: Facebook

A court heard the horrifying details of how a man beat his girlfriend unconscious, tied her up and branded her as his property in a terrifying “act of dominion”.

Bellbird Park operations manager Byron Conall Campbell, 39, pleaded guilty at Ipswich District Court on February 15, 2023, to three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm (DV), one count of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed (DV), unlawful possession of a Category A, B or H weapon, and unauthorised possession of explosives.

He was initially also charged with three counts of choking and one of deprivation of liberty, but the prosecution dropped those charges at his sentence.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Godfrey said the father of two had been in a relationship with the victim for a short time before the offending.

He said the relationship was “marked with domestic violence” and both parties were using drugs “on a daily basis” at the time.

The court heard Campbell’s first assault offence occurred after his girlfriend threw a plastic bottle at the back of his head during an argument.

Mr Godfrey said Campbell responded by kicking her in the leg, causing her to drop to the ground in so much pain she believed her leg was broken.

The court heard the other domestic violence offences occurred around five days later.

Mr Godfrey said Campbell had “grabbed the complainant by the neck and slammed her head against the bedroom wall hard enough to damage it [the wall]”.

He said Campbell punched the woman twice “hard in the head” immediately after, knocking her unconscious for approximately 10 minutes.

Mr Godfrey said the woman consumed both prescribed and elicit drugs later that afternoon which, in combination with the head injury, knocked her unconscious for “almost an entire day”.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself “hogtied” on a bed with her hands and feet bound.

She was wearing a choker that restricted her breathing, and Campbell stood before her with a jet lighter.

Byron Conall Campbell was sentenced on February 15, 2023, for horrific domestic violence offending. Picture: Facebook

Mr Godfrey noted she had no recollection of the earlier assaults at the time.

He said Campbell told her he intended to “brand her,” and produced a “large knife”.

Mr Godfrey said the woman responded “oh okay,” but noted she had been dipping in and out of consciousness at the time.

In what Mr Godfrey called an “act of dominion,” Campbell then used the jet lighter to heat up the knife and pressed the entire flat side to her back.

Mr Godfrey said he then peeled it from her back – taking her skin with it – and showed it to her.

Mr Godfrey quoted how Campbell told the woman: “look at that, that’s your skin, that’s so f**ked up”.

“You’re mine forever now, everyone is going to be able to see this scar.”

The woman suffered a thermal burn “with elements of a deep partial thickness”.

She also had blurred vision, felt off balance and had trouble hearing for weeks after the assault.

When police arrested Campbell, they found him in possession of an antique gun and ammunition.

Defence barrister Steven Jones said his client’s behaviour appeared to be influenced by his drug use.

He said Campbell had fallen into alcohol and drug misuse after the dissolution of his marriage.

The court heard Campbell had previously maintained reliable employment in a range of managerial positions, and he had two teenage daughters.

He had a limited but relevant criminal history including prior assault convictions.

Campbell received two and a half years imprisonment, with immediate parole release and 422 days time-served.

Convictions were recorded.