Jealous rage: High-profile barber’s savage attack on girlfriend

A Brisbane barber who pinned his girlfriend to the ground in a brutal attack that left her with a broken rib has been sentenced over the “incredibly ugly” incident.

Cooper Jordan Breen outside court on Tuesday. Picture: David Clark

A Brisbane barber who fractured his girlfriend’s rib in a savage attack has blamed a fit of jealousy for the “incredibly ugly” incident.

Cooper Jordan Breen’s violent outburst in February 2022 came two weeks after he threatened to stab the same woman while pointing a knife at her chest because he believed she had thrown out his drugs.

The 29-year-old was sentenced for both incidents in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday after earlier pleading guilty to three counts of common assault and one of assault occasioning bodily harm, all domestic violence offences.

At the time of the offending, Breen was a top hair stylist for Langanis Barber which has made headlines in recent years after owner Michael Anthony Langanis was sentenced to 12 months’ probation in 2022 for supplying cocaine. A conviction was not recorded in his case.

Another barber at the same shop, Giovanni Genuario, was given a wholly suspended prison sentence early last year after pleading guilty to supplying and possessing cocaine.

Barber Cooper Jordan Breen. Picture: David Clark

In Breen’s case this week, Judge Leanne Clare SC said two weeks after threatening his girlfriend with a knife in early 2022, he began verbally attacking the woman after a night of drinking.

When the woman began packing her things to leave, Breen “became worse” and he stopped her from calling police by taking her phone.

“Three hours later you pushed her over and you kicked her in the ribs as she fell, it was hard enough to fracture a rib,” Judge Clare said.

“The victim, your partner, tried to leave the house again but you violently grabbed her by the jaw and threw her onto the ground, you pinned her down with your knees and you pushed her head down.

“She was in a poor state, she had vomited and had trouble breathing.”

The court heard Breen at first called triple-0 before trying to dissuade them from coming however they still attended.

“In addition to the low-level fracture she had neck pain, shoulder and stomach pain, a loss of feeling and scratches and bruising over all four limbs,” Judge Clare said of the victim’s injuries.

The court heard the offending breached a probation order Breen had been sentenced to three months earlier for – an incident of street violence.

Defence barrister Martin Longhurst said Breen’s offending was “simply inexcusable”.

“It is offending that occurred in a relationship where there were stressors but they’re not stressors that can be found to be exceptional ones,” he said.

Mr Longhurst said the “incredibly ugly and unlawful incident” was sparked by jealousy against a backdrop of a relationship in which both parties regularly accused each other of infidelity.

He said jealousy was the catalyst for the fight but Breen did not seek to rely on that as an excuse or provocation for his behaviour.

“Even if what he suspected was true, it’s simply no excuse,” Mr Longhurst said.

Breen was sentenced to concurrent terms of imprisonment of up to two years but was not required to serve further time in custody after already spending eight months behind bars on remand.

He was supported in court by his parents and new partner.