Gold Coast man sent to prison for choking and stomping the mother of his child

A 25-YEAR-OLD Gold Coast man who was “terrified” during an 18 day stay behind bars has been thrown back in prison for strangling his former partner and stomping on her head.

A 25-YEAR-OLD Gold Coast man who was “terrified” during an 18 day stay behind bars has been thrown back in prison for strangling his former partner and stomping on her head.

A young father faced the Southport District Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic relationship.

The court heard in October 2016 the man choked his former partner and the mother of his child so hard she couldn’t breath for 15 to 30 seconds.

He was pulled away from the woman, who he had pinned up against a garage door, by his mother and neighbours.

A Gold Coast man was sent to prison for choking and stomping the mother of his child.

The court heard that when the woman fell to the ground, he stomped on her head which caused swelling and bruising.

The assault happened when the woman visited his residence to collect her little girl following a text message argument.

The court heard a domestic violence order had been put in place nine months before the assault.

The crown prosecutor said the man’s actions were “disgraceful and cowardly”.

There was no victim impact statement.

The man’s defence lawyer said his client had an “excellent upbringing” and was terrified during the combined 18 days he spent in the Southport Watchhouse and Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre before being bailed after the assault.

A Gold Coast man was sent to prison for choking and stomping the mother of his child

He had bail conditions which said he must not take drugs or alcohol.

The man’s lawyer said his client had “difficulty managing his anger” when he drank alcohol.

He said his mother described the period of her son’s life before the assault as being “soaked with alcohol”.

In sentencing Judge David Kent QC said the man’s offences were “extremely serious” and had a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

Mr Kent took into account his guilty plea, compliance with bail conditions and the now “cordial” relationship he had with his former partner.

But he said the 18 days he spent in prison were not enough.

Mr Kent said he wanted to make it clear: “the court denounces the conduct which (he was) involved in”.

The man was given an 18 month prison sentence with a parole release date of February 20, 2018.