Ipswich tradie Lloyd Jacobus Bethel sentenced for gruesome rape

A court was horrified to hear the “traumatic” details of how an Ipswich tradie raped a woman, who feared he would stab her with a hunting knife he’d placed on the bedside table. WARNING: GRAPHIC

Lloyd Jacobus Bethel leaves Ipswich Courthouse on July 24, 2020.

A tradie’s shocking treatment of a woman has been revealed in an Ipswich court, after he forced her into his car and threatened her with a hunting knife.

Redbank Plains boilermaker Lloyd Jacobus Bethel, 30, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court to rape, strangulation, suffocation, assault occasioning bodily harm, and four counts of common assault.

The court heard the offences all occurred some years ago.

Crown prosecutor Michelle Parfitt said Bethel had showed up at a woman’s location, threatened her with a hunting knife and knuckle dusters, and forced her to leave with him in his car.

The woman cried and screamed for him to stop, and he physically assaulted her in the car.

Bethel drove to a house and took her to the bedroom, where he laid the hunting knife on the bedside table.

Bethel then instructed her to strip, before raping her.

Ms Parfitt said the woman was “still out of fear” and “scared that he would stab her with the hunting knife if she refused to have sex with him”.

“It was particularly traumatic for the complainant … she was in significant pain,” said Ms Parfitt.

Defence barrister Scott Carter tendered a handwritten apology letter from Bethel, and said his client’s behaviour had been significantly impacted by his use of methamphetamine and alcohol at the time.

He said, considering Bethel’s meth usage, it was “within reason” to conclude that he had made an “honest mistake” as to whether the woman had been consenting.

Judge David Kent interrupted, saying, “Yes it’s true she didn’t continue to physically struggle but there’s nothing to say she thought this was a good idea”.

Mr Carter said Bethel had made productive use of his time in custody and completed a Lives Lived Well program and relapse prevention program.

He further noted Bethel had the support of his family and employment prospects upon his release.

Judge Kent said any belief of consent under the circumstances would have been “extremely unreasonable”.

He noted Bethel had no history of violence, but had suffered from “significant drug and alcohol problems over quite a long time”, and had been convicted for drug driving in 2020.

Bethel received a head sentence of seven and a half years imprisonment, with parole eligibility on April 17, 2023.

His presentence custody of 775 days was declared time-served, and convictions were recorded.