Aaron David Walker assaults former partner in front of their four-month-old son

A young Townsville father who assaulted his son’s mother three days after being released from prison has been sentenced to jail.

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A YOUNG Townsville father who assaulted his son’s mother three days after being released from prison has been sentenced to jail.

Aaron David Walker pleaded guilty in the Townsville District Court this week to two counts of common assault, one of assault occasioning bodily harm, one of contravention of a domestic violence order and four of threatening violence in the night.

The court heard the 30-year-old assaulted the mother of his four-month-old child in the early hours of July 2, 2019.

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Walker punched his former partner in the face and bit her legs while threatening her with a knife and screaming at her while she was in bed.

Neighbours came to assist but they were also threatened with a knife by Walker.

Walker absconded and was chased by police before he was arrested.

The court heard that on August 23, 2019, Walker attacked another inmate in the watch-house, causing bruising, swelling and bleeding.

Crown prosecutor Aaron Duncan presented Judge John Coker with Walker’s 11-page criminal history, pointing out 84 violent prior offences.

He said the current charges were of a serious nature.

“All of this offending was committed by a mature man with prior convictions for like offences,” he said.

“It is also quite serious that it occurred while on parole just three days after his release from prison.”

Defence barrister Harvey Walters said his client’s behaviour was fuelled by drug use and a sexual assault incident as a young boy.

“A lot of the anxiety and stress and self-harm and drug use was exacerbated by the occurrence of this while he was in custody as a child,” Mr Walters said.

He said Walker was studying to become a qualified chef in prison and was remorseful for his actions.

Judge Coker took into account Walker’s early guilty plea and diagnoses of an adjustment disorder and other disorders brought about by being introduced to amphetamines by his mother at age 14.

Walker was sentenced to two years’ jail, with credit for time served. A parole eligibility date was fixed at November 30, 2020.

Originally published as Aaron David Walker assaults former partner in front of their four-month-old son