Aaron Paul Harrison Gulf in Rockhampton court for bite assaults on partner

A young father with 17 convictions for car theft has been blasted for appalling behaviour including four biting assaults on his partner – twice on the face – and attacking a man in a watchhouse cell.

Aaron Paul Harrison Gulf, 25, fronted Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 16 via video link where he pleaded guilty to 10 charges.

A young father with 17 convictions for car theft has been blasted for appalling behaviour including four biting assaults on his partner – twice on the face – and attacking a man in a watch house cell.

Aaron Paul Harrison Gulf, 25, fronted Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 16 via video link where he pleaded guilty to 10 charges.

Police prosecutor Claudia Neill-Ballantine said Gulf bit the victim multiple times on four separate occasions between July 1 and September 4 – once on the arm, twice on the face and once on her back.

She said the arm bite took place as the victim tried to stop Gulf from opening the door of a moving car, while three others were during arguments – one after she tried to stop him from destroying property.

Ms Neill-Ballantine said the bites caused swelling and discomfort.

She said Gulf also attacked a man in the Rockhampton watch house while the man was lying down in a cell with a blanket over his head.

“The defendant has entered the cell, lent over the victim and punched him twice to the head,” Ms Neill-Ballantine said.

“The victim got up and used the watch house intercom system to advise staff that he was attacked.

“The victim was moved to a separate cell.”

She said Gulf was linked to two stolen cars in August that were forensically examined by police.

Ms Neil-Ballantine said Gulf was charged with unlicensed driving – never held a licence – on October 18 after police watched him deliberately avoid two stationary random breath test sites.

She said when he was later stopped by police he admitted he had never had a drivers licence and that was why he avoided the RBT sites.

Magistrate Cameron Press said Gulf’s behaviour was appalling.

“You seem to think that you can use a vehicle that belongs to anyone else when you want,” Mr Press said, drawing attention to the 17 prior unlawful use of motor vehicle convictions on his history.

“It is an offence that is not tolerated.

“It’s now become a pandemic in our society and it costs our society significant money by way of insurance payments, and in some cases just loss, financial loss to the people/ victims involved.

“It also costs society money in investigating such offences.”

Defence lawyer Teaghan Bankier said her client had one child which lived with a relative in Woorabinda.

She said Gulf lost one of his sister’s and a friend via suicide and following those losses, he turned to using drugs.

Ms Bankier said his brother died in a car crash last year and another sister died in September or October from suicide while he was in custody.

She said his mother had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Ms Bankier said her client had struggled with his mental health since his sister’s death last year which was around the time of this offending.

She said Gulf started using marijuana when he was 18 and moved up to methamphetamines which remained an issue for him.

Ms Bankier said Gulf had received counselling and help for his mental health while remanded in presentence custody.

“Unfortunately, you’ve had some trauma in your life with relatives dying,” Mr Press said.

“But sir, we all suffer, unfortunately, that in life. That is just part of living and you must learn how to deal with that.”

Gulf pleaded guilty to five counts of common assault, two of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, one of wilful damage and one of unlicensed drive driving – never held a license.

He was jailed for 15 months, with 88 days in presentence custody declared as time served, and parole release set for March 20.