Luke Mathieson jailed for pouring petrol over partner’s head in domestic violence offences

A man has been sentenced for an escalating pattern of domestic abuse that culminated when he poured petrol over his partner and tried to push her into burning candles at a Southern Highlands home.

Luke Brock Mathieson has been jailed for an escalating pattern of domestic abuse that culminated when he poured petrol over his partner and tried to push her into the nearby burning candles at Moss Vale.

The 33-year-old faced Picton Court on Friday after pleading guilty to assault, intimidation, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of destruction of property.

The court heard the offences formed a pattern of domestic abuse which began about a month after Mathieson started dating the victim.

Luke Brock Mathieson has been jailed for persistent domestic abuse of his partner.

The facts reveal Mathieson was jealous and often accused the victim of cheating on him, such as on March 22 when he broke the rear vision mirror and part of the steering wheel on her car after she spoke to her old teacher at a service station.

In a fit of anger about a male contact in her phone on May 1, the court heard Mathieson hit the victim across the face and caused her lip to split and bleed.

When she tried to leave, the court documents reveal he said “Don’t even think about it, or I will do it again.”

The court heard Mathieson had been drinking when he threw the victim at a set of stairs and then dragged her by her ponytail to the house when she was unable to stand because of the pain in her leg.

As well as physical assault, the facts show Mathieson employed verbal abuse such as calling the victim a “sly s***” and a liar.

Over the course of their six month relationship, he smashed four of her phones, an expensive hairdryer, her kitchen window and floor tiles.

The relationship reached a shocking outburst of domestic abuse that the court heard has had a lasting impact on the victim.

On the evening of August 15 last year, the court heard the Woonona man called his partner a “f***ing s***” and grabbed her phone and went through her messages while she was talking to a friend.

After giving her back the phone, the court heard he went to the laundry room and got a jerry can full of petrol, which the victim thought he was going to use on the fire. Instead, he mouthed at her to “hang up the f***ing phone” and poured the petrol over the woman’s head, shoulders and back in her Moss Vale home.

The victim froze out of fear and shock while the petrol caused damage to her skin and eyes. The police facts reveal she begged Mathieson not to hurt her as he told her to move towards the lit candles and pushed her.

The court heard Luke Brock Mathieson subjected his partner to verbal and physical abuse during their brief relationship.

She went outside and curled into a ball while he tried to get her to come back inside to talk. Texts between the two after the assault show the victim was frantic about the pervasive smell of the petrol throughout the house.

“My f***ing skins (sic) burning, my throat hurts, the house stinks,” the victim texted after a gut wrenching message asking for help.

He replied: “I’m on the phone shut up. All you do is talk s***. Shut up with your lies.”

When the victim said she was upset she couldn’t have a cigarette because of what he’d done, the facts reveal he texted: “Well that’s silly, you shouldn’t smoke near petrol you dope”.

His lawyer Matthew Ward said Mathieson had a history of domestic violence offences, mental health issues and alcohol and drug abuse. At the time of the offences, court documents reveal Mathieson was spending hundreds of dollars a week on alcohol and regularly using cocaine.

Magistrate Mark Douglass said it was clear Mathieson did not take responsibility for his actions and the impact on the victim.

“It’s obvious there is no remorse and no contrition,” he said.

“He claims the victim made it up to get him in trouble.”

The magistrate said Mathieson’s lack of remorse revealed a troubling ideology consistent with the pattern of many domestic violence offenders.

“The perpetrator believes they are justified in their actions at the time. They can feel that they are the true victims,” he said.

“This continued belief that they are wronged can carry a persistent threat.”

Magistrate Douglass said the offending was part of a larger picture in which Mathieson was exercising power and coercive control over the victim.

“Domestic violence in all its forms is unacceptable criminal behaviour,” he said.

“Recognition must be given to the real harm done to the victims and the community in general.”

Luke Brock Mathieson was sentenced in Picton Court House on December 10. Picture: Adelaide Lang

Magistrate Douglass sentenced Mathieson to four years and four months in jail with a two year and eight month non-parole period. He also imposed an apprehended violence order for 10 years to protect the victim.

“It is appropriate given the level of criminality to this single person for such an extended period of time,” the magistrate said.

Outside the court, the victim said she was relieved with the result but it didn’t provide any closure.

“There’s no remorse. He’s not sorry,” she said.

“He tried to kill me. I want answers.”

She said more needs to be done to protect victims from ongoing domestic abuse and to punish the perpetrators.

If you’d to speak to someone about domestic violence, please call the 1800 Respect helpline at 1800 737 732 or you can use the online chat.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.