Repeat DV offender walks free despite prison sentence

The man was sentenced to prison after forcing an engagement ring on his ex-partners finger.

A man has been sentenced to prison after yelling at his ex-partner and forcing an engagement ring onto her finger. File Photo.

A MAN has been sentenced to six month imprisonment after forcing an engagement ring onto his ex-partners finger and yelling at her, saying he wanted her “know what it feels like to be in jail”.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty before Kingaroy Magistrates Court yesterday (July 20) to one charge of contravene a domestic violence order.

According to Police Prosecutor Senior Sergeant Gangemi, the aggrieved returned to her address in Kingaroy on July 15 to find the defendant in her home.

He was intoxicated at the time, and when asked to leave, he refused.

“She left the address and slept in the car until 11.30pm, hoping the defendant would be ‘passed out’ by the time she entered the house,” Sgt Gangemi said.

“When she entered the house he was asleep on the loungeroom floor. She left him there and went to bed.”

At 5.50am on the morning of July 16, the defendant woke and began yelling at the aggrieved.

According to Snr-Sgt Gangemi, he tried to force an engagement ring on her finger and told her he wanter her to “know what it feels like to be in jail”.

He then proceeded to throw photographs of the aggrieved’s children on the ground and left with her phone before police arrived.

“I’m asking that your honour consider six to nine months imprisonment order,” Sgt Gangemi said.

“Why I suggest that to the court is based on his history with the aggrieved and the significance of previous assaults that occurred.”

The defendant was previously charged with domestic violence related offences on three separate occasions.

On March 9, police alleged the defendant “king hit” the aggrieved, causing her to fall and hit her head on bitumen. He then allegedly proceed to push her head into the bitumen.

On another occasion, the aggrieved returned home to find the defendant asleep in bed. When he woke, he began verbally abusing her, before allegedly pushing her onto a coffee table, where she hit her head.

According to Sgt Gangemi, the defendant called the aggrieved a “sl*t” and a “cheat”, and told her this was “her fault”.

Police also alleged he threatened her, saying “I’m going to make you f**king burn”, “stab you in the throat” and “cripple you”.

Prior to this, there was an incident where he had allegedly held up a nail to her throat in a shed.

“The history of abuse goes back further to stalking behaviour,” Snr-sgt Gangemi told the court.

“He simply will not leave the aggrieved alone. He continues to breach the order.”

Despite pleading guilty, the defendant accused the aggrieved of being a “liar” and said “police believe her more, which is understandable because she’s a woman”.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said he had “no choice” but to give the defendant a “head sentence” (the maximum sentence to be served) of six months.

Despite this, the defendant’s a parole release date was set for the same day, July 20, meaning he walked free from court.

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