Cairns chippy Glen Edward Blake Gibson, 31, sentenced for four months of abuse
A woman endured four months of brutal abuse, which included being struck eight times with a baseball bat during one attack, suffocation, and being hit with a bike seat, wooden spoons, and vacuum cleaner pipes, a court has heard.
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A woman endured four months of brutal abuse, which included being struck eight times with a baseball bat during one attack, suffocation, and being hit with a bike seat, wooden spoons, and vacuum cleaner pipes, a court has heard.
Cairns father-of-five Glen Edward Blake Gibson, 31, who had a “significant” criminal history, pleaded guilty in Cairns District Court to three charges of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, six counts of common assault, one count of suffocation and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Crown prosecutor Andrew Anderson told the court the offences occurred over a four-month period and included the “repeated use of weapons in the commission of assaults”, three of which caused significant injuries.
Mr Anderson told the court the suffocation, while only occurring for a short period of time, added to the seriousness of the offending due to the real risk of death.
The court heard the man held his hand over the woman's mouth and nose twice while she struggled and screamed.
Judge Dean Morzone KC read the details of each charge, revealing a heinous list of abuse.
Judge Morzone told the court the woman had been struck in the back of the head with a bike seat, struck across the face with a wood spoon and struck with the metal tube of a vacuum cleaner, punched in the ribs, and kicked in the forehead and mouth.
On one occasion the complainant was struck eight times with a baseball bat leaving her with heavy bruising over her body and on another instance the man threatened to “smash her in the face” with it.
Mr Anderson noted the significant acts of violence demonstrated a persistence in offending against the complainant and told the court he had a 10-page criminal history which included grievous bodily harm, robbery, and property and drug offending.
Defence counsel Joseph Jacobs told the court the defendant, despite a “dreadful” criminal history, now had the opportunity to do the right thing in his life.
Mr Jacobs provided the court with a letter of support from the man’s current partner which said that the man struggled due to a lack of male role models to give him direction in his life and was working in Cairns as a carpenter.
The man has spent 509 days in pre-sentence custody.
“He has served significant time,” Mr Jacobs said.
“Give this man an opportunity to do the right thing.”
Judge Morzone said the suffering and effect of the offending was serious and obvious.
Judge Morzone said the violence was “without justification”, used control and coercion, and involved the use of weapons but recognised the man’s challenges in his life and lack of mentorship.
“I have to provide a way for you to become a better man,” he said.
The man was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment with a parole eligibility date of the day of sentence.
If this story has raised any issue for you or someone close to you, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, the National Domestic Violence Counselling Service on 1800 737 732, Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service on 07 4033 6100 or Women’s Shelter FNQ on 07 4051 9366.
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Originally published as Cairns chippy Glen Edward Blake Gibson, 31, sentenced for four months of abuse
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