Ryan Benton: UK man facing immigration detention sentenced for Southport domestic violence offences

A UK citizen who came to Australia when he was six years old is currently in immigration detention after committing a number of offences, including suffocating his girlfriend with a pillow in Southport. Read what happened in court here

Ryan Benton, 28, pleaded guilty at the Southport District Court on Monday to three domestic violence charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, strangulation and suffocation. Picture: Facebook

A UK man currently in immigration detention due to other offences, has been sentenced for strangling and suffocating his girlfriend in Southport

Ryan Benton, 28, pleaded guilty at the Southport District Court on Monday, May 26, to three domestic violence charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, strangulation and suffocation.

The court heard Benton and his now former girlfriend got into an argument at Southport on an unknown date between August 31 and October 1, 2022.

The woman had came to visit Benton some time between 3am and 4am after she finished work. He was awake waiting for her.

The court heard Benton, who had been using methamphetamine, accused her of communicating with her ex-boyfriend and threw the woman’s bag at a television, breaking some of the items inside the bag.

The woman slapped Benton in the face who pushed her onto the bed, straddled her and grabbed her arms.

As a result, she suffered bruising to her arms and legs.

Benton took one of his hands off her and held her around the throat while yelling at her for around five minutes.

Her breathing was hindered and she couldn’t talk or scream due to the pressure on her throat.

The court heard Benton grabbed a pillow and used it to cover the woman’s face for approximately 30 seconds.

Unable to breathe and fearing for her life, the woman kneed Benton in the genitals, causing him to fall off the bed.

She ran to the bathroom but he stopped her from closing the door.

The court heard the woman started gathering her things and Benton told her to leave.

The court heard Benton’s visa has been cancelled and he is currently held in immigration detention. Picture: Facebook

The woman who was crying, didn’t want to leave or be alone and stayed with Benton for a week until she left to live with her parents.

Benton was arrested in January 2023 and a domestic violence protection order has been put in place.

The court heard Benton was sentenced to two years imprisonment for separate charges on August 16, 2024 and received a parole release date for October 10, 2024.

On his release, Benton, who moved from the UK to Australia at age six, was taken and held in immigration detention where he currently resides.

Benton has never held Australian citizenship and due to his August 2024 sentence, his visa was cancelled.

The court heard he has applied for a revocation request for the cancellation of his visa.

During submissions, Judge Rowan Jackson KC questioned if a parole order would be pointless for someone in immigration detention.

Crown prosecutor Amalia Baker-Smith told the court it was speculative whether or not Benton will be deported.

Benton’s defence counsel Ambyr Cousen, instructed by TWC Lawyers, told the court her client had difficulties with drug use, particularly methamphetamine.

She said Benton told her he was suffering mental health concerns due to his drug use and had been treated by prison mental health while in custody.

Judge Rowan Jackson KC, noting Benton’s letter of apology to the court, expressed hope that his remorse was genuine and urged him to address his mental health concerns and drugs use while in custody.

“I can tell you from the bitter experience of sentencing people in this court what will happen to you if you continue to use methamphetamine,” he said.

“You’ll keep coming back here, it’s as simple as that.”

Judge Jackson noted Benton’s criminal history and the nine and a half months Benton had spent in a variety of different custody settings.

Benton was sentenced to two years imprisonment wholly suspended.