Warwick man sentenced for sexual assault, wilful damage after drunken rampage

A court has been told a Warwick man, who drinks on average a staggering five litres of wine a night, subjected his partner to horrific domestic violence, including smearing faeces around their house and physical assault.

A Warwick man committed a multitude of sickening offences, including sexually assaulting a woman in her home, in only a handful of days.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Warwick Magistrates Court on Wednesday, October 18 to a string of charges, including unlawful assault, sexual assault and wilful damage.

The man aged in his 50s committed the offences over a short period in September 2023.

The court was told the man met the victim only 12 months before the offending, and she would “escape to the bedroom to hide from him” whenever he was drinking.

On one occasion, the victim arrived home to be met with “instant” verbal abuse.

The court was told personal items were smashed and strewn on the floor, and the TV was knocked over and damaged.

The woman found faeces on the bathroom floor, and smeared around the house.

She confronted the man and slapped him. The man violently lashed back, punching her in the face.

Police took the man to the watch house moments later, where officers noted he had a “very high BAC reading”.

The court was told on other occasions the man called the woman an “inbred dingo dog” and other horrific sexual remarks.

The man also sexually assaulted a second woman in a separate incident.

The court was told the man turned up to the woman’s address with a box of wine, where he groped her breast.

Defence lawyer, Clare Hine, told the court the man’s main issue was alcohol.

“He started drinking at 13 and rarely stopped since then. He averages five litres of wine per day,” Ms Hine said.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess noted the man had six pages of criminal history across southwest Queensland.

“You have a significant problem with alcohol, but that isn’t an excuse. Being drunk all the time is not an excuse to behave this way,” Ms Sturgess told the man.

“You have to take responsibility and face the consequences.”

The man was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, but released on parole immediately, with 30 days in custody noted as time served.

For the sexual assault charge, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for eight months.