Mark John Curtis, 54, of Beaudesert sentenced for choking, smothering assault

Smothering, choking and repeatedly punching a terrified woman was not enough for a truckie who only ended his “cowardly violence” when he delivered a disgusting taunt, a court has heard.

A violent coward who punched, choked and smothered a woman while she tried to scream for help ended the horror assault by telling her: “I’ll show you what abuse is … Now you can say you were abused”.

Appearing at Beenleigh District Court on Monday (June 6) Mark John Curtis, 54, was granted immediate parole release after spending 295 days in pre-sentence custody.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of choking, suffocation, strangulation domestic relationship and a single count of wilful damage (domestic violence offence).

The court heard Curtis was with his then partner in July, 2021 when he grabbed her car keys after she dropped him off at his Beaudesert house and said: “You are not going anywhere”.

While in a jealous rage he forced her into his bedroom where he choked her with both hands until she couldn’t breathe and eventually stopped, leaving her gasping.

The court heard when she tried to scream for help, he pinned her to his bed and pinched her nose and smothered her, until she couldn’t breathe.

According to police, he did this multiple times until she complied.

Then he told her, “I’ll show you what abuse is,” before punching her numerous times to the head.

The court heard Curtis at first denied his cowardly offending. Generic image used.

The court heard the horror assault ended after the flurry of punches with Curtis stating, “Now you can say you were abused”.

His victim provided police with images of her injuries on August 14 and Curtis was arrested the day after.

During questioning he denied all claims of violence against his victim, the court was told.

Crown prosecutor David Rigby said the “cowardly and violent behaviour showed a total disregard” for the victim’s safety and came on the back of a significant criminal history.

Originally from Victoria, Curtis had a 19-page criminal history from the state featuring prison sentences for violence.

Defence barrister John Fraser said his client had been a victim of serious violence himself.

In 2019, eight men, some armed with baseball bats, left Curtis with multiple facial fractures after a group bashing.

Mr Fraser said his client was again set upon during his latest stint in custody and had to be placed in a protection unit.

The court heard Curtis has truck and bobcat licences, once ran his own company and had suffered the loss of his mother while in custody recently.

According to the defence, he planned to move back to Victoria upon his release to see his elderly father.

Judge Craig Chowdhury said the defendant was very lucky not to have caused his victim more serious injury, when he sentenced him to two-and-a-half-years’ prison.

With 295 days in pre-sentence custody declared time served, he was granted immediate parole release.

*For 24-hour support in Queensland phone DVConnect on 1800 811 811, MensLine on 1800 600 636 or the national hotline 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.