Matthew Scown pleads guilty to violent assaults against partner on Sunshine Coast

A Sunshine Coast man who was jailed for the death of his ex-girlfriend’s young son in 2017 is back in court for a series of heinous attacks on his partner during a psychotic meth episode.

Matthew Ian Anthony Scown leaving the Supreme Court in Brisbane in 2017. Picture: Dave Hunt

A Sunshine Coast man who was jailed for the death of his ex-girlfriend’s young son in 2017 has been released from custody after admitting biting and assaulting his partner on an ice binge.

Matthew Ian Anthony Scown, 41, received a jail term after he served considerable time in custody for the manslaughter of Tyrell Cobb, 4, on the Gold Coast in 2009.

The court found Mr Scown was “criminally negligent” in relation to Tyrell Cobb’s death because he failed to get medical treatment for the child who died from a blunt-force trauma injury.

In Maroochydore District Court on Wednesday, Scown received more jail time for his horrid assaults on his partner after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges including three counts of assault and one each of threatening violence, common assault and stealing.

Scown outside his car in Maroochydore several years ago.

Crown prosecutor Rhys Byrne said the woman came to Scown’s address on February 16 as she was struggling with a bout of homelessness.

During a hellish 24 hours at the 41-year-old’s home, Mr Byrne said Scown assaulted the woman multiple times.

This included throwing a bangle at her, grabbing her arms, shaking her, biting her on the bum, kicking her in the leg and holding a knife to her throat.

Degrading language was used throughout, until the woman tried to leave before being forced back until she finally fled to police.

After she left, Scown called and abused her on the phone while she was with officers.

In the weeks leading up to the drugged up assaults, Scown also stole sex toys from Totally Adult Maroochydore on January 30.

Mr Byrne said Scown was arrested on February 19 and spent 10 months in custody up until his appearance in court on Wednesday where he admitted his guilt.

Scown spent time in custody in the lead up to his sentence for manslaughter in 2017. Picture: Dave Hunt

Defence barrister David Crews said Scown had spent stints in custody since 2009 where he was originally charged with murder of the young boy.

Mr Crews said the 41-year-old was discharged following a committal hearing however entered custody again for 789 days in 2017 for the boy’s death until he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed before being released on time served.

Scown’s barrister said his time in jail was hard given the charge related to a child, and struggled to reintegrate back into society due to the amount of press around the case.

Mr Crews said between his stints in jail, Scown worked in the seafood business and was running his own boat in Bundaberg until his arrest in February.

The court heard Scown hoped to live in Logan following his release.

The barrister said Scown believed he was in a meth-induced drug psychosis at the time due to his heavy use.

Judge Gary Long jailed Scown for two and a half years, and factoring in his 296 days in custody, set a parole release date as of Wednesday.

Originally published as Matthew Scown pleads guilty to violent assaults against partner on Sunshine Coast