Meth tradie Karl Kavanaugh fronts Ipswich court for ‘appalling’ domestic violence

An Ipswich tradie has faced court for violently bashing his girlfriend while on meth, but walked away freely with no actual jail time for the “appalling and unacceptable” domestic violence.

Collingwood Park tradesman Karl Lee Kavanaugh, 38, leaving Ipswich Court on June 22, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

An Ipswich tradie has walked freely from court today after being sentenced for an ‘appalling and unacceptable’ display of domestic violence against his girlfriend.

Collingwood Park tradesman Karl Lee Kavanaugh, 38, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on June 22, 2023, to assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault – both domestic violence offences.

The court heard Kavanaugh’s offending took place on November 11, 2022, in West Ipswich.

Kavanaugh had been arguing with his girlfriend of nine months and accused her of cheating.

Magistrate Robert Walker said the girlfriend asked Kavanaugh to leave, but Kavanaugh elbowed her as he walked past.

He then came into the bedroom, closed the door behind him, and told her “f--k you, we’re done”.

Mr Walker said Kavanaugh then punched the woman in the mouth, knocking her backwards.

“She felt immediate pain, blood issued from her mouth,” Mr Walker said.

The court heard the woman called police and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Kavanaugh was visibly upset as he listened to the facts of his offending read out in court.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said his client was no longer in a relationship with the partner in question.

He said the “only explanation” Kavanaugh could give for his “outrageous behaviour” was that he had been smoking ice at the time of the offending and had been “coming down”.

Mr Fairclough said his client had a history of cannabis use and that the relationship had involved “mutual use of drugs”.

He said Kavanaugh felt “shame” over his actions, but had since reached out to Drug Awareness Rehabilitation and Management and was supported by his parents in his rehabilitation efforts.

Collingwood Park tradesman Karl Lee Kavanaugh, 38, leaving Ipswich Court on June 22, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Mr Fairclough said Kavanaugh previously worked for the Logan City Council through a labour hire company and was currently working on the Cross River Rail project.

Police prosecutor Bridie O’Shea said Kavanaugh had a dated criminal history, with one previous entry for assault occasioning bodily harm in 2008.

He received probation for that offending, which the court heard he later breached.

Mr Walker said Kavanaugh’s current offending was “appalling and unacceptable”.

He accepted that Kavanaugh’s drug use may have been a contributing factor, but said it was “not an excuse” and that it “certainly doesn’t act as a mitigating circumstance”.

Mr Walker noted that the offence of assault occasioning bodily harm carried a maximum sentence of seven years.

However he said Kavanaugh’s offending was not at the highest end of the scale – “as appalling as it is”.

Taking into account Kavanaugh’s rehabilitation efforts and how dated his history was, Mr Walker concluded that Kavanaugh did not need to spend any actual time in prison.

He sentenced Kavanaugh to nine months imprisonment with immediate parole release.