Detroit Breaker Gurnick jailed for choking partner

An imposing former miner who once punched a camp chef after being told not to eat any more from the buffet could be booted back to his homeland after his latest “violent tantrum”.

Detroit Breaker Gurnick was sentenced for his latest violent outburst.

A “big fellow” from New Zealand who once punched a mining camp chef after being told he couldn’t eat any more food has been jailed over a destructive rampage which included torching a jetski.

Detroit Breaker Gurnick, 31, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court this month after his wild antics at the homes of his then partner and her mother on Australia Day, 2024.

Crown prosecutor Cameron Keast said Gurnick was drinking that day and he and his former partner went to different events.

Gurnick was ready to leave his event in Yeppoon at 3.30pm but his partner wasn’t and this angered him.

“What followed was effectively a drunken protracted and violent tantrum,” Mr Keast said, telling the court Gurnick attended his partner’s home, continued messaging her and threatened to set the house on fire, slammed doors around the house and kept drinking.

“Over the next 15 minutes, the defendant started smashing items around the house, throwing a TV to the ground, smashing a mirror and the washing machine, as well as punching holes in multiple walls,” he said.

“He ripped open a cutlery drawer and threw the cutlery on the ground.”

He said the victim left and went next door to her mother's place, Gurnick set fire to the jet ski, causing several thousands of dollars in damage, and followed the victim next door.

He continued his rampage at the victim’s mother’s place, smashing a fish tank and vases, and causing damage to doors and rugs.

Mr Keast said after telling his partner about the jetski, Gurnick grabbed her by the throat and applied pressure for about 10 seconds, causing her to gasp for air as she was unable to breathe.

The court heard that after releasing her throat, Gurnick continued to threaten his partner, telling her he was going to make her life hell and destroy everything.

The relationship was now over.

Mr Keast said Gurnick’s two-page criminal history revealed his problem with drinking, anger management and tendency towards violence.

He said the first entry showed Gurnick breaking into a bakery by kicking the door down and stealing food and bakery supplies.

He also said Gurnick attempted to break into a house by banging on the windows, was identified on that occasion via CCTV and told police he couldn’t remember as he was drunk.

In the second entry, Gurnick was at The Strand at Yeppoon one time when Gurnick was drunk, “spilling drinks everywhere and throwing drinks into a crowd” so security went to kick him out.

Mr Keast said Gurnick’s response to this was to throw a chair at a woman’s torso – someone who was a stranger to him.

The third entry on Gurnick’s criminal record was for an assault on Great Keppel Island where Gurnick stole a quad bike and punched the owner in the eye for asking: “what are you doing?”

The fourth was at a mining campsite at Marlborough, when while eating from a buffet style meal room, the chef told Gurnick he’d eaten enough.

“The defendant wanted to keep eating so he punched the chef in the torso three times,” Mr Keast said.

Defence barrister Julie Marsden said her client, who was born in New Zealand, was at risk of being deported due to the sentence for this offending.

She said he was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at a young age and struggled at school, leaving formal education when he was 13.

Ms Marsden said Gurnick, who was support in court by his mother, sister and grandmother, had since worked in traffic control, forestry, railway, construction, landscaping and driving machines.

She said his grandmother was undergoing treatment for lung cancer and Gurnick would be able to return straight to work and live with his sister once released from custody.

She also said her client had been sober for 14 months prior to this sentencing due to being in custody and had completed substance abuse programs and Gurnick instructed he wanted to manage his alcohol consumption better moving forward.

Judge Farr said Gurnick should be aware of society’s attitude towards people who committed these types of offences and agreed the term “tantrum” was appropriate to describe his behaviour.

“You seem to be someone who is a bad drunk and you’ve got a bad temper,” he said.

“You’re a big fellow, and no doubt you use your size to your physical advantage.”

Gurnick pleaded guilty to one count each of choking, wilful damage and enter dwelling and commit indictable offence along with two aggravated breaches of domestic violence orders.

Judge Farr sentenced Gurnick to three years prison, found he had breached a suspended sentence handed to him on March 3, 2022 and a probation order from the same date and ordered that he serve the balance of four months’ prison.

He declared Gurnick’s 411 days presentence custody as time already served on his sentences and ordered his immediate release on parole.