Ronald Leonard Edward Cocks pleads guilty to assaults on wife

A judge has blasted a man who ‘should be ashamed’ after he degraded and attacked his wife including pushing her out of a car and throwing a remote at her head.

A judge has blasted a man over his cowardly, shameful and repeated attacks on his wife that included pushing her out of a car and throwing a remote control at her head.

A court heard Ronald Leonard Edward Cocks called his wife a “useless c***” during an argument while shopping at Coles Andergrove in March 2020.

As the pair was sitting in the car, the 58 year old pushed her out of the vehicle before going and helping her up.

When they were driving away he punched her three times including in the mouth as she held her hands up.

She had a swollen upper lip, cuts and bruising.

As a result a domestic violence order was made.

In November the pair was watching TV when Cocks criticised the show she was watching.

Mackay District Court heard she flicked the remote to him to choose a different program, to which he responded by throwing the remote at her.

It struck her forehead and she needed three stitches.

“Any man who goes around assaulting a woman should be utterly ashamed,” Judge Gregory Lynham said.

“It is a cowardly act.

“Under no circumstances should any woman by the subject of violence at the hands of any man.”

South African-born Cocks, who is a qualified electrician, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of common assault.

The court heard the pair was now separated and planned to divorce.

Barrister Josh Morris, for Cocks, argued that while his client had intentionally thrown the remote at his wife he did not intend to cause the injury he did.

The court heard Cocks was using methylamphetamines and the pair was having money problems – it resulted in “enormous pressure” on the marriage and formed a background for the offending.

Prior to Covid-19 he had been working in Papua New Guinea but resigned because of quarantine requirements.

He had recently received a job offer.

Mr Morris pushed for a non custodial sentence and said Cocks could pay $2000 compensation to his wife.

A number of character references spoke highly of Cocks.

Ultimately Judge Lynham determined Cocks should serve actual time – he was jailed for 18 months to be suspended after three months. Convictions were recorded.