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Convicted rapist Eugene Edward Mimi strangled Rockhampton partner

A violent Qld criminal, previously jailed for breaking into a stranger’s house and raping her twice, has reemerged in court - this time for subjecting a woman to a terrifying chase and bone-breaking attack.

Eugene Edward Mimi.
Eugene Edward Mimi.

A violent criminal previously handed a 12-year prison term for breaking into a stranger’s house and raping her twice went on to subject his partner to a horror prolonged attack involving strangulations.

Eugene Edward Mimi, 55, followed his partner into her Rockhampton bedroom on August 13, 2023, when he began striking her all over her head and body, Rockhampton District Court heard.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Minuti said Mimi threatened to kill the victim and strangled her until she blacked out.

When he let go, she ran out of the room.

Mimi followed her, grabbed her and threw her across the dining room and repeatedly punched her head and body while she begged him to stop.

He then strangled her again until she blacked out and dragged her towards the bedroom, but she managed to get free, ran towards the back door before he caught her and threw her against the washing machine, causing her to fall on the ground.

Mimi continued his vicious assault on the woman, striking her face and body before strangling her a third time.

“He was eventually interrupted by a visitor to the home calling from outside,” Mr Minuti said.

The victim sustained bruising and fractures to her left ribs, cuts to her face, swelling to her head and bruises to her arms, back, chest, face and throat.

Judge Jeff Clarke said Mimi had only been in a relationship with the victim for a few months.

“There is no explanation for your erratic, unpredictable sustained violence against this woman in her own home after you had locked her in there,” he said.

“She asked (during the “pounding” attack) what she had done to deserve this gratuitous sustained violence.”

Mimi was arrested and remanded in custody after a public nuisance incident on the Capricorn Coast in September where he was yelling, swearing and pushing other people in a public place.

‘I HATE GOING OUT AFTER DARK’

Mr Minuti read out the strangling victim’s impact statement to the court:

“The effect that it had on me – it brought up all my anxiety, that I’m scared to travel at night.

“I hate going out after dark.

“I can’t trust anyone in my family.

“I find it hard to trust men now.

“I’m constantly thinking for my safety.

“Coming and going out of my home.

“I have developed phobias travelling by myself.

“It has crippled me.

“I can’t attend my eye, dental or doctor appointments.
“I can’t even trust being around my children anymore to care for.

“I’m neglecting myself with my eating and sleeping, training myself to take my medications.

“I struggle every day with my daily duties.

“I try to keep a schedule, the times and the dates and sometimes I am overwhelmed stepping out of my house that something will happen.

“I struggle with trying to live every day.”

Judge Clarke said the psychological impact Mimi’s attack left on this woman was “profound”.

Mr Minuti said Mimi’s criminal career started in 1988 with convictions for burglary, indecent assault and arson for which he received a three-year prison term and he graduated to a 12- year prison-term in 2001 when he broke into a stranger’s home, threatened to kill her with a knife, digitally raped her and then penal raped her.

After his release from custody for that horrific offending, Mimi has been convicted multiple times for domestic violence type offences.

Defence lawyer Maree Willey said her client was aware he needed to work on abstaining from drug and alcohol abuse upon his release from custody.

The court heard Mimi has six children – all of whom were now adults and their mother had passed away.

Mimi’s childhood involved being exposed to violence, neglect and dysfunction.

He had worked as a truck driver and postman when not incarcerated.

Mimi pleaded guilty to three counts of strangulation (domestic violence offence), one assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence) and one of public nuisance.

Judge Clarke sentenced him to 4.5 years prison, declared 262 days presentence custody as time already served and set parole eligibility from March 22, 2025.

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/police-courts/convicted-rapist-eugene-edward-mimi-strangled-rockhampton-partner/news-story/77253e1e3c4c7d5288094d19ec53b831