Ben Barba sentenced in Mackay Magistrates Court for second assault against brother-in-law

NRL Dally M Medal winner Ben Barba called his partner 50 times before going to her home and punching his brother in law repeatedly. Despite all this he will be home for Christmas.

Ben Barba has walked free in time for Christmas after he assaulted his former partner’s brother for the second time.

The fallen NRL star had spent 16 days in custody since he was arrested on December 2 for attacking his former partner’s brother Adrian Currie in her East Mackay home.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Barba, 31, had called his former partner 50 times on the day of November 27, before going to her house and verbally abusing her while she was trying to go to work.

As she sat in her car to leave, Barba jumped into the back seat telling her he “wanted questions answered”.

Barba appeared via videolink in Mackay Magistrates Court on December 17, pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in a domestic setting and three counts of contravening a domestic violence order. Picture: Jack Tran

Police prosecutor David Epstein said when she began to drive, Barba got out of the car, “slamming the door with force”.

But it was four days later on December 1 that Barba committed his “most serious” offence.

The Dally M Medal winner went to his former partner’s home again, contravening the domestic violence order against him which prohibited him from going to the East Mackay house without prior written consent.

Mr Epstein said Barba’s brother-in-law tried to stop him from coming inside, telling Barba “you’re not allowed to be here — f**k off”.

But Barba made his way inside and attacked his former brother-in-law, punching him several times causing pain to his face.

Mr Epstein told the court it was not the first time Barba had assaulted Mr Currie after a previous assault at McGuires Hotel in Mackay on February 22, 2020.

The court heard Mr Currie at the time had called Barba a “wife basher”, to which Barba responded by punching him in the face.

The former NRL star later told police “I punched the c**ksucker in the face because he doesn’t like me and called me a wife basher” and was convicted of assault.

Barba appeared via videolink in Mackay Magistrates Court on December 17, pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in a domestic setting and three counts of contravening a domestic violence order.

Barba’s lawyer Robyn Cathcart told the court Barba had been married to his former partner for 17 years with the two separating about six months ago.
Ms Cathcart told the court Barba was a scaffolder and worked to provide for his four children and pay for the lease for their East Mackay home.

In her sentencing, Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan took into consideration Barba’s history of offences against his former partner and her brother.

Ms Hartigan said she believed a longer period of probation would benefit Barba better than a short term in jail.

Barba was sentenced to two years probation and was expected to be released from Rockhampton Correctional Centre Friday afternoon.

Convictions were recorded.