Urangan man Michael John Mackay, 50, sentenced for reprehensible, protracted bashing

A labourer has used an absurd excuse for a protracted bashing of his partner so vicious it started with a flurry of punches and ended in strangulation and memory loss.

A woman suffered memory loss and gasped desperately for air during a vicious, protracted bashing and strangulation at the hands of a “sleep-deprived”, jealous labourer, a court has heard.

Urangan man Michael John Mackay, 50, walked free from Beenleigh District Court after accepting all the facts of his reprehensible offending.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence) and a single count of choking, suffocation, strangulation in a domestic relationship.

The court heard Mackay on February 9 last year flew into a violent rage at a Beenleigh residence when his then partner admitted to having an affair in an attempt to quell his anger.

Instead, Mackay punched her in the face multiple times, tripped her so she fell and continued to punch her multiple times, all the while his house mate looked on, according to the prosecution.

Undeterred, he smothered her mouth with his hand so she could not breathe, then bashed her head repeatedly on the floor, the court was told.

Former Beenleigh, now Urangan man Michael John Mackay, 50, leaves Beenleigh District Court. Picture: Marcel Baum.

Frantic with fear, his victim called out for help, only for Mackay to strangle her, causing her to gasp for breath.

A prosecutor for the Crown said Mackay’s rage continued when he ran after the woman when she managed to escape and bashed her vehicle before she was able to drive off.

The brutal assault left the woman with momentary memory loss, significant bruising and swelling to her face, scalp and neck, and scratches to her back and neck.

It came on the back of a three-page criminal history featuring mostly drug offending.

Defence barrister Martin Longhurst acknowledged his client’s offending as “no doubt serious” and “particularly nasty”.

Mr Longurst noted Mackay had no previous violent offending on his history and had been sleep-deprived while recovering from a leg injury when he “went way over the top”.

The court heard the defendant had since completed multiple domestic violence counselling sessions, had initiated a mental health plan and would relocate to Hervey Bay.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren denounced Mackay for his “spectacular fall from grace”.

Ms Rosengren noted the community has said “enough is enough” when it comes to violent offending against women.

Mackay was sentenced to three-and-a-half years’ prison, suspended after having served 185 days in pre-sentence custody.

He was further sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to complete an already initiated domestic violence course.

A conviction was recorded.