Christos Panagakos sentenced in Southport District Court after attack on girlfriend of three weeks

A man who had been cleared of an ex’s shooting death after charges were dropped has admitted two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm involving another ex-girlfriend.

Christos Panagakos (right) leaving the Southport courthouse with defence lawyer Michael Gatenby. Picture: Jessica Paul

A Gold Coaster who had been accused of a separate ex’s shooting death before charges were dropped has admitted two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm involving another ex-girlfriend.

Ex-bodybuilder Christos Panagakos has avoided time behind bars after a chilling attack on a former girlfriend, including telling her he would have “slit your throat” if she were a man.

Panagakos flew into a rage after seeing texts with a male friend on his then-girlfriend’s phone while she was staying at his Highland Park home on August 21, 2021.

Southport District Court was told Panagakos yelled at the woman to leave, then shoved her against a bedside table.

The 31-year-old put one hand around the woman’s neck and squeezed hard, telling her, “If you were a guy, I would slit your throat from one side to the other”.

Crown prosecutor Jessica Guy said the woman took photos on her phone of the red marks around her throat, with Panagakos pinning the woman’s arms in a “bear hug” while trying to grab the device.

Panagakos eventually got hold of the woman’s phone, deleting the photos before snapping it with his hands.

His ex was also left with bruising on her arms.

Christos Panagakos (right) leaving the Southport courthouse with lawyer Michael Gatenby. Picture: Jessica Paul

The court was told the pair had been in a relationship for just three weeks at the time of the assault, and continued to see one another for about a week afterwards.

Panagakos pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count each of common assault and wilful damage.

He was sentenced to six months’ jail with immediate parole release. He was also placed on probation for two years and ordered to pay $4000 compensation to his victim.

It was heard Panagakos had a lengthy criminal history and had previously spent time in custody, including several months on remand after being charged with manslaughter following the death of his ex-girlfriend Ivona Jovanovic. She died of a gunshot wound.

A Southport Magistrates Court was told at a committal in 2022 that Panagakos tripped while holding a gun. He was cleared of any wrongdoing, and the charge was dropped in March. He had always maintained his innocence.

Separately he was placed on a nine-month probation order after being sentenced for numerous drug- and property-related offences in Southport Magistrates Court last week.

Defence barrister Tony Kimmins, instructed by Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said Panagakos would require ongoing supervision for “quite some period of time” to help overcome his longstanding drug addiction.

Mr Kimmins said Panagakos had no history of violence against women and that an affidavit submitted to the court on his client’s behalf spoke to his remorse and desire to fully rehabilitate and find new employment.