Enraged Capalaba man punches pregnant partner weeks from birth of fourth child

A court has heard the innocuous reason a southeast Queensland company director with up to 19 drinks under his belt punched his heavily pregnant partner as she fled, and it was all caught on CCTV.

A drunk company owner who “forcefully” punched his heavily pregnant partner on the arm as she was attempting to flee their house, has vowed to stop his violent ways “forever”.

The 38-year-old Capalaba man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Cleveland Magistrates Court to one count of contravention of domestic violence order.

The court heard the commercial painting company owner was 17-19 drinks deep and “aggressive” at around 9pm on December 4 last year, when he returned home after an earlier argument with his then heavily pregnant partner.

“Frantic” with fear, his partner, due to deliver their fourth child 17 days later, tried to leave in her vehicle but was blocked from closing her door and punched by the defendant “when she scraped his vehicle”.

The cowardly act was captured on CCTV.

Police were called after neighbours assisted a pregnant woman punched by her husband. Generic image used. Picture: Justin Brierty.

Neighbours would ultimately intervene when the man continued his barrage inside his property, where he yelled abuse at his partner, punched a hole in the wall, kicked over a chair and overturned a table.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Andy Ross said the domestic violence offence, with actual violence, on a late-trimester pregnant woman required a general and personal deterrence that could include a jail term.

Defence solicitor Tanya Dower said her client chose a “poor response” to the damage suffered to his vehicle during the “most stressful time of his life”.

Ms Dower said having identified a negative pattern involving alcohol abuse, the man has since stopped drinking, sought counselling and now manages his stress with physical exercise.

Previously sentenced to probation for a serious assault which prompted the domestic violence order breached by his recent offending, the man was urged to keep in mind the example he sets for his children.

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Magistrate Deborah Vasta said it “would be horrific” should the man’s daughter accept such violence from a future partner for having grown up with her father’s example.

The defendant was sentenced to two years’ probation, with no conviction recorded.