He put a knee to her throat: Dad’s ‘cruel’ DV attack

The 39 year old blames ice for his violence against women.

Domestic violence generic hands up

A CONVICTED Mackay woman basher "cruelly" choked his partner by putting his knee to her throat before threatening to kill her.

Corey James Ward blames his shocking acts of domestic violence on drug use and opposes seeking professional help to address any issues, Mackay District Court heard.

"But if you don't get treatment it's just going to happen again and again," Judge Deborah Richards bluntly told him when she jailed the 39 year old father for three years for attacking his partner.

The pair were "coming down" from ice and had recently gone through family trauma when, on February 25 last year, Ward choked the victim twice.

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When she told him she could not breath, the then-38 year old said he "would in fact kill her".

She managed to free herself by biting his arm.

"But you persisted and again used your knee on her throat," Judge Richards said as he briefly went over the facts.

"She said she was going to leave, saying 'you're going to kill me', and you said, 'you leave me and I'll bash ya' and punched her in the back of the head."

Ward pleaded guilty to choking and common assault against the mother of his child.

Power cuts homes, but no rain damage

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Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his client, who was one of eight siblings, had witnessed domestic violence between his parents growing up.

The court heard he had tried to take his own life two weeks before the incident when he had also stopped taking his schizophrenia medication.

Mr McLennan said at the time both Ward and his partner were "coming down from methylamphetamines".

"He is sorry and ashamed for his behaviour," Mr McLennan said, adding that Ward had told his partner during a phone call he deserved to be in jail and had "behaved cruelly".

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But Crown legal officer Alana Murray told the court this was not the first time Ward had been in court for "threatening and inflicting violence on his partners".

She said Ward's criminal history, which spanned both Queensland and New South Wales, included 18 convictions for breaching bail, 17 convictions for drug offences as well as breaches of community service, probation and suspended sentences.

"He has received the benefit of every court order available," Ms Murray said.

The Federal Government is making help available to people who experience domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He's got a problem with domestic violence and he doesn't seem to think that he does, which is a problem," Judge Richards said.

The court heard Ward and his partner who was "no stranger to (his) violence" were still together.

"You've been resistant to getting treatment for domestic violence … you blame ice for the violence," Judge Richards said, warning the more he returned to court the harsher any penalties would be.

"So I suppose it depends on whether you're interested in seeing your children grow up or whether you want to spend your time in jail … it's really a matter for you."

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He will be eligible for parole on December 15 this year, and 213 days were declared time already served.

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