Man pours boiling water over girlfriend’s head

A man who brutalised a woman and caused her to fear for her life has faced court

Nathan Skinner, 26, was sentenced to jail with immediate parole.

BRUISED, battered and emotionally shattered, the photos of an abused Ipswich woman beaten constantly by her boyfriend, made a strong impact on a court magistrate.

Not only was the woman beaten but her irate former partner threatened to stab her with a scalpel, bashed her with a cooking pot, and made threats with a screwdriver.

When Nathan Skinner appeared from jail before Ipswich Magistrates Court for sentence for his awful domestic violence, it was revealed that the woman he professed to love feared he would kill her.

In one outburst of violence his ongoing punches to her face had been like "left, right, left, right," the woman told police.

Clearly horrified at his apparent brutality, magistrate Virginia Sturgess told Skinner the police photos taken at a hospital when she was treated, was evidence of the significant violence done against her.

Nathan George Skinner, 26, from Raceview, pleaded guilty via video-link to 11 offences - three charges of assault causing bodily harm to the woman - domestic violence offence; two charges of assault causing bodily harm when armed with an instrument - domestic violence; threatening violence; four counts of breaching his bail conditions; and contravening a domestic violence order.

Many of his reported offences were committed between March and June this year.

Police prosecutor Bronson Ballard said they were extremely serious acts of domestic physical violence, and photos taken when the woman did report the abuse show extensive bruises.

Police sought a two year jail order.

"The facts speak for themselves. It was appalling behaviour, horrific acts done by a person who says he loves the woman who he inflicted injuries upon," Mr Ballard said.

Mr Ballard said that when the woman was bleeding after being assaulted, Skinner told her he loved her.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said he did not disagree with a two-year jail penalty.

He said although some of her injuries did not turn out to be as serious as first thought, there was significant bruising to her body.

Ms Sturgess said the agreed facts stated the woman suffered a broken nose in one assault when seen at the hospital in June.

However, it was conceded that there was no medical record before the court to support that.

Mr Fairclough said Skinner had spent 6.5 months in jail and he sought his immediate release.

Ms Sturgess told Skinner his offending was extremely serious, involving significant violence.

"Medical records when seen at hospital show (the woman) was in fear that you would kill her," Ms Sturgess said.

"An entirely justifiable fear when you see (photos of) the horrible violence that was inflicted upon her.

"The photographs are quite compelling and show significant bruising, two black eyes and a mix of older and fresh bruising to her head, behind her ears, feet, arms, legs and torso."

The court heard the woman had described Skinner's anger at being woken up by cartoons a child was watching on television.

He verbally abused the woman and armed himself with a scalpel, threatening to stab her.

Ms Sturgess said his assaults included Skinner punching the woman in the face and head with his fists and breaking her nose - the injured woman saying that she "lost a Coke can full of blood, my glasses obliterated".

Ms Sturgess said Skinner apologised, saying he loved her.

"You told her to pack you a cone (cannabis). Then you came up behind her and punched her in the head, kicked her in the legs," Ms Sturgess said.

"You held her head. Tried to kick her in the face shouting that you hated her.

"You picked up a screwdriver saying you were going to kill her. Hit her with the butt."

Ms Sturgess said his cowardly violence included hitting the woman between 10 and 20 times with a cooking pot and pouring a jug of boiled water over her head.

The assaults ended when she ran screaming to a neighbour's house.

Skinner is now banned from going anywhere near her or trying to make contact.

Ms Sturgess called the behaviour appalling.

"This poor woman was subject to months of beatings by you," she said.

"Domestic violence is insidious and has an enormous impact on people and society."

Ms Sturgess sentenced Skinner to a two-year jail term with immediate parole.

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