Jarrod James Delower sentenced after months-long DV strangulation horror, armed robbery

A 24-year-old man laughed as he learnt his fate after pleading guilty to months-long DV horror and unrelated armed robbery.

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced for a month-long DV onslaught and an unrelated armed robbery

A violent repeat DV offender, who required multiple additional police positioned around the court, was seen laughing in the courtroom and being scolded by his mother as he faced sentencing for an armed robbery and a string of vicious attacks on an ex-girlfriend.

Jarrod James Delower, 24, pleaded guilty in the Ipswich Magistrates Court to five counts of assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence), two counts of choking in a domestic relationship, and one count each of common assault (DV) and wilful damage (DV).

Additionally, he pleaded guilty to a count each of robbery armed, in company and entering a dwelling with intent by break while armed, in company.

The court heard that on August 31, 2021, Delower picked up a co-accused and two other unknown people and drove to an Ipswich house that the group intended to rob.

Upon arriving at the house, the co-accused smashed through the door with a metal pipe, and the victim armed themself with a sword that was in the home.

One of the group found and removed a hard-drive that was connected to the victim’s security system and while Delower was armed with a large knife, the group demanded the victim give them drugs and money, as well as a phone.

The victim gave them a small amount of cash and cannabis.

The court heard that Delower was subject to probation and parole when he committed the robbery offences.

The domestic violence offences each occurred after his parole release from prison in November 2021 and January 2022.

The court heard that upon release from custody, Delower moved in with his then-girlfriend, who he had only known for a short time and the relationship quickly soured.

Judge Amanda McDonnell said his girlfriend described suffering verbal and physical abuse for the entirety of the time they lived together.

The court heard that on one occasion at the end of November, Delower was high on ice and locked his girlfriend in the house, and told her she could not “go anywhere, see anyone or do anything”.

She was on her knees in the kitchen and he grabbed her by throat and shoved her head into the tiles, constituting the count of common assault.

Later that same day, the pair argued and he wrapped a hair straightener cord around her throat and choked her for a short period of time.

Several days later, Delower strangled the woman on and off over a half-hour period.

At the end of December and early into January there were several instances where he punched her repeatedly across the face and body, some occasions which she documented and sent to friends on Snapchat.

On January 28, 2022, Delower pushed the woman face-first into a glass door, which shattered leaving her with multiple cuts, and then later that day used a metal pipe to smash a window next to the front door and destroying a downpipe.

The months of assault came to a head on January 30, when the woman woke at 3am to Delower standing over her, screaming at her.

The court hear that the woman tried to leave, and Delower pulled her back by her hair, shoved her face down into the bed “so no one could hear her” and then punched her repeatedly.

Judge McDonnell told the court “the more she cried the more you (the man) punched her” and described that Delower had punched her approximately 20 times.

An aunt of the woman then arrived at the house and took her to a hospital, though the woman left before she was able to be seen by a doctor.

Delower was arrested on February 2, 2022 and had been in custody since that date.

Each of the domestic violence offences were committed while he was on parole.

The court heard that Delower had a significant criminal history, including similar drugs, violence and property offences as well as a lengthy domestic violence history.

Judge McDonnell further heard the man had a “mixed response” to his engagement with community corrective services and had made no attempt to engage with the Men Choosing Change program, aimed to assist men displaying violent behaviours towards family and intimate partners.

Delower had undertaken some training on a certificate two and had penned a plan for his eventual release and a relapse prevention plan.

Judge McDonnell said the handwritten plan had clearly had a lot of thought put into it and that it was very detailed.

Delower had also remained drug free for some time while in custody.

Ultimately, Judge McDonnell sentenced Delower to a total of five-and-a-half years’ imprisonment, but declared 544 days as time served.

He will be eligible for parole on January 13, 2024.