Gold Coast domestic violence: Woman spat on, abused and choked by her husband writes to court in support for his release

A woman who was spat on, abused and choked so hard she momentarily lost her vision wrote an affidavit to a judge asking for her husband’s release from prison.

A WOMAN who was spat on, abused and choked so hard she momentarily lost her vision wrote an affidavit to a judge asking for her husband’s release from prison.

The 28-year-old father, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to a slew of horrific domestic violence offences.

Rather than penning a victim impact statement, the woman wrote a sworn statement to the court in support of the man.

In February last year, the man, who had been drinking, bashed through the woman’s bathroom door and dragged her out by the hair as she held their six-month-old child.

She was hiding in the room after calling police.

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The man put the child in a cot, he threw his wife on to a coffee table and against a door, and choked her with both hands until her vision went black.

He ran to another apartment and an emergency situation was declared as a result of threats he had weapons.

After his release on bail, the man offended again about a month later. The couple had had a disagreement after the woman asked him to return a truck that belonged to her business.

The man, who had again been drinking, strangled her for about five seconds after trying to kiss her. He went to leave, only to turn and spit in her face.

Defence barrister Adrian Braithwaite, instructed by AW Bale and Sons Solicitors, told the court the man had an “immense degree of gratitude” toward his partner, suggesting it may be uncommon for an abused woman to give her partner a third chance.

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However, Judge Katherine McGinness said she had seen it happen before: “Sadly it is the case where partner’s forgive and (domestic violence) happens again.”

Judge McGinness sentenced the man to three years prison with a parole release date from yesterday.

The 319 days he spent in custody was counted as time already served.

The 142 choking complaints made to Gold Coast police last financial year were the highest in the state.

Non-fatal strangulation became a criminal offence in April 2016 following a recommendation from a special taskforce on domestic violence headed by former governor-general Dame Quentin Bryce.