Toowoomba tradie Daniel Bourke faces Ipswich Court for terrifying domestic violence against ex

‘Slit your throat’: A southeast Queensland tradie ripped the front door off a woman’s home and swung her by the hair like a ragdoll in a terrifying episode of drunken domestic violence.

Daniel Wayne Bourke, 41, leaving Ipswich Court on March 5. Picture: Nicola McNamara

A southeast Queensland tradie has faced court for a “deplorable” night of domestic violence, in which he threatened to kill his ex-partner before ripping her front door off and attacking her.

The woman was then swung by her hair like a ragdoll and strangled inside her own home, Ipswich District Court heard at the man’s sentencing on Tuesday, March 5.

Hatton Vale bricklayer Daniel Wayne Bourke, 41, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, strangulation, common assault, enter dwelling with intent by break at night, threatening violence, and wilful damage – all domestic violence offences.

The court heard Bourke had gone to his ex-partner’s home twice in one night on January 13, 2023.

Crown prosecutor Rachel Stewart said he had first called her, saying he loved her and would come over, but the woman told him not to come.

Ms Stewart said the woman later found Bourke sitting in her backyard and let him in because “she did not want to make him angry”.

But they argued inside, and he pushed her in the chest, causing her to fall backwards through the front doorway onto the floor, Ms Stewart said.

The woman closed the screen door between them and told Bourke she would call police – but he said he didn’t care.

The court heard Bourke punched the screen door, causing it to bend inward, before he drove away.

Ms Stewart said Bourke called the woman multiple times later that same night – despite her texting him “don’t come near me”.

When she finally answered the phone, Bourke told her “I’m coming back and I’m going to slit your f**king throat,” the court heard.

Ms Stewart said the complainant went to call police but then saw Bourke outside, running towards her house.

She opened the wooden front door, leaving the screen door shut, and told him police were on their way.

The court heard Bourke replied “is that so” before he “ripped the screen door off” and rushed towards her.

Daniel Wayne Bourke, 41, leaving Ipswich Court on March 5. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Ms Stewart said Bourke grabbed the woman by the hair and “ragdolled her” by throwing her around the house, ripping part of the hair out.

Bourke then pulled her to the ground, stood over her, and strangled her for around five seconds before leaving, the court heard.

Bourke was apprehended soon after and returned a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.192 per cent.

He was remanded in custody for five months, before being granted Supreme Court bail.

Ms Stewart said Bourke’s offending was so serious he should serve one third of the sentence imposed in actual custody.

But defence barrister Dan Boddice said the five months his client had already spent on remand was enough, because of the efforts he’d made to rehabilitate himself since then.

Mr Boddice said Bourke was “abundantly aware” his offending was serious, and was ashamed of his actions.

He said Bourke had been “extremely intoxicated” and struggling with mental health at the time.

Bourke had started a men’s behavioural change program near where he was living in Laidley after his release on bail, but had since moved to Toowoomba and was still in the early stages of completing a new course there.

Mr Boddice said putting Bourke in custody would disrupt his progress with that program and remove him from his family support.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren acknowledged Bourke had been granted bail by the Supreme Court so that he could work on his rehabilitation, and Bourke had followed through on that to the “best of (his) ability”.

He said Bourke’s behaviour was “thoroughly deplorable”, but accepted that sending him back to jail could defeat the purpose of that Supreme Court decision.

Bourke was sentenced to three years in jail, with immediate parole.

His 151 days in presentence custody were taken into account but not declared time-served.