‘Daddy, please stop!’: Kallangur ‘woman basher’ cops prison sentence

A north Brisbane man who ‘couldn’t accept’ his relationship ended threatened to kill his former wife, her parents and her unborn child, the Pine Rivers Court heard on Monday.

A scorned ex-husband threatened to murder his former wife and her unborn child at a popular gym in Brisbane’s north, the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

A Kallangur father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via videolink from the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre to plead guilty to a total of nine charges.

He appeared red-faced and shook his head as the facts were read in court.

Censored image of the Kallangur man who threatened to kill his ex-wife, her parents and her unborn child.

According to lawyer James Wallace of Wallace O’Hagan Lawyers, “a stubborn refusal to accept (his 12 year relationship with his wife) was done” led to the “height of foolishness” when the man repeatedly breached a domestic violence protection order.

The order, issued by the court in April and varied in May, prevented the man from attending the family home for purposes other than child visitation and from coming within 100 metres of his former wife.

Domestic violence continues to be a prevalent issue facing the population of north Brisbane.

The court heard in the ten months since the couple separated, the man breached the order seven times in a series of abusive events that included threatening, taunting and tackling his former wife both in her home, her workplace and in public.

The first breach came in May, when the man sent a series of messages “designed to control, manipulate and threaten” the woman.

The man appeared at the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Monday.

Police prosecutor sergeant Graham Turner told the court the man’s behaviour escalated and a few days later he turned up to the family home “upset and agitated”, claiming he’d “paid for everything in it, so it was his”.

When the former wife and older child pleaded with him to leave, the man bemoaned that “no one ever listens to (him)” and lunged at the child, forcing the woman to jump between the two to intervene.

The woman was pushed onto a recliner while the man’s six-year-old daughter said, “Daddy, please stop”.

The man responded by telling her he wanted to kill himself “because of you, your mum and (your brother)”.

The abuse occurred on a quiet street in Kallangur.

The arrest and subsequent bail conditions did not seem to deter the Kallangur man, who returned to the home on June 3 and June 25.

On June 26, the man changed tactics and waited outside the gym his ex-wife managed.

The court heard he crouched behind the woman’s car, waiting for her to finish work, before quite literally pouncing on her.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described prison as a "hell hole" where fellow inmates called him a "child f----r" and a "woman basher".

The woman tried to run away but the man grabbed her from behind, restraining her.

“I want to talk, I want to talk,” the man said, according to police documents.

“If you don’t answer, I’m going to tackle you.”

The court heard the man tried to convince his ex-wife to reconcile with him, then threatened to kill her parents.

Police attended and took the man to the Pine Rivers watch house, where he tore apart his custody smock in a fit of rage, leading to a charge of wilful damage of police property.

Once released on bail, the man breached the order two more times.

The Kallangur man faced court nearly a year to the day that Brisbane resident Hannah Clarke and her children were murdered by their estranged husband and father in a domestic violence incident, highlighting how domestic violence continues to pose a significant problem in Queensland’s capital city.

The second, and most serious, breach occurred on January 11 when the man entered the woman’s workplace and threatened to kill both her and her baby if he discovered she’d become pregnant to another man.

He was arrested and spent the last four weeks in custody, awaiting his hearing.

Mr Wallace told the court prison time had been especially difficult for the man, who was called a “kiddie f----r” and “woman basher” by fellow inmates and forced to undergo ten days in total isolation.

“It is a hell hole he never wants to return to,” Mr Wallace said.

The man’s current girlfriend, with whom he had been in a relationship during the offending, wrote a character reference tendered to the court which described him as “the most patient and kind man” she’s ever known.

Magistrate Trevor Morgan noted the new girlfriend was either “a remarkably poor judge of character or at risk of domestic violence herself”.

Mr Morgan characterised the man’s actions as “child abuse”, given the violence perpetrated against his former partner occurred in full view of the children.

“It affects them for life,” Mr Morgan said.

“It’s a harsh comment, but it’s based in fact.”

“This family will probably live in fear for the rest of their lives.”

The man was sentenced to six months imprisonment immediately suspended for an operational period of 18 months.

People needing support can contact Lifeline (24 hours a day) on 13 11 14.