Drew Mccoist Richmond pleads guilty to choking his partner

A man unleashed a ‘terrifying’ choking attack on his partner during a fight. But a judge found the young father will not have to go to jail.

Drew Mccoist Richmond pleaded guilty to choking his partner.

A Bucasia man who unleashed a “terrifying” choking attack on his partner during a fight has been warned the “consequences could (have) be(en) fatal”.

But a judge found Drew Mccoist Richmond will not have to go to jail.

The incident occurred on June 26, 2022 at their home after the victim returned after a night out.

Mackay District Court heard “she tried to nap, he woke her, yelling and telling her that she needed to look after their daughter”.

During the argument she tried to get away from Richmond by going into different rooms in the Bucasia home, but he’d “bang on the door until she let him in”, crown prosecutor Victoria Evans said.

The court heard at one point he squeezed both his hands around her neck for about 20 seconds “while repeating are you going to listen?”

“The (victim) struggled to breathe and thought she was going to die,” Judge Michael Williamson said.

Richmond, 25, pleaded guilty to choking as a domestic violence offence.

Barrister Scott McLennan said there was an “unusual feature” in that since this incident his client and the woman had reconciled and were able to co-parent effectively.

Drew Mccoist Richmond pleaded guilty to choking his partner.

The court heard the woman had written a support letter that expressed the changes in him.

Mr McLennan said Richmond had also proactively sought rehabilitation including counselling one month after the offence.

Judge Williamson agreed the “steps towards rehabilitation are exceptional and unusual”, and also acknowledged the early guilty plea had saved the time and cost of a trial and the victim from having “to go through the trauma of a trial”.

The court heard Richmond was ashamed of his actions.

“And quite frankly you should be,” Judge Williamson said.

“Choking someone is an inherently dangerous act, the consequences could be fatal.

“This would have been terrifying … absolutely terrifying for the (victim).”

Judge Williamson found Richmond had taken steps which were continuing towards addressing his issues “and you should be commended for it”.

“You have the opportunity to correct this and put it all behind you,” Judge Williamson said, finding Richmond’s early plea, remorse and significant rehabilitative steps warranted a non-custodial jail term.

As a result Richmond was jailed for 12 months, wholly suspended for two years. A conviction was recorded.