Asueru Motuga: Former Brisbane youth detention worker dragged victim from shower during brutal assault

A former Brisbane Youth Detention Centre worker from Browns Plains has avoided jail after brutally assaulting his girlfriend at work, before going home and binding her neck and arms with an electric cord.

A former Brisbane Youth Detention Centre worker from Browns Plains has avoided jail after brutally assaulting his girlfriend at work, before going home and binding her neck and arms with an electric cord.

Asueru Acey Motuga, 46, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday to 5 domestic violence-related charges including two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, two counts of common assault and one count of deprivation of liberty.

Asueru Acey Motuga leaving Beenleigh court.

The court heard Motuga and his then girlfriend had been working at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre in Wacol when he bashed her on an unknown date between December 1,2019 and December 31, 2019.

Police prosecutor Tim Wise told the court the assault occurred after the pair got in a disagreement about not preparing food for lunch.

“He’s grabbed her radio piece, thrown her to the floor and pushed her into the concrete wall and kicked her while she’s on the ground,” he said.

“It was quite brazen and at the workplace, the youth detention centre and it came to an end when two supervisors got involved and effectively ended it there.”

The court heard the Motuga’s violence continued when the pair went home to a residence in Browns Plains.

“The defendant has locked doors so she couldn’t leave,” Mr Wise said.

“The victim has then gone for a shower and been dragged out of that shower and ultimately put the electric cord around her neck and hands.”

The court heard neighbours also had to intervene when Motuga tackled his girlfriend to the ground and injured her hand at Upper Coomera on June 23, 2020.

Motuga’s lawyer told the court his client had no history of like offending was “horrified and startled by his own behaviour.”

“This offending is really anomalous and he’s otherwise of good character,” he said.

He said Motuga had been working at Brisbane Youth Detention Centre for 11 years and had been holding a position of seniority for about five.

He’s since been suspended from his position and doesn’t anticipate returning.

Magistrate Michael O’Driscoll sentenced him to an 18 month suspended sentence of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $1000 in compensation to the victim.

FOR SUPPORT PHONE 1800 RESPECT OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS LINE ON 1800 800 098.