Edmonton fencer Ronald James Narara hits dog with sledgehammer while attacking his partner

An Edmonton fencer has smashed his partner’s dog to the head with a sledgehammer as it tried to protect her from his ‘disgraceful’ attack, a court has been told.

Narara’s ‘confronting’ behaviour included attacking his partner and hitting her dog in the head with a sledgehammer as it tried to protect her.

An Edmonton fencer smashed his partner’s dog with a sledgehammer to the head as it tried to protect her from his “disgraceful” attack, a court has been told.

Ronald James Narara, 47, pleaded guilty in Cairns Magistrates Court to four charges, including animal cruelty, common assault and wilful damage over the terrifying attack on his partner and her dog on May 26 this year at the woman’s Edmonton home.

Police prosecutor Angela Teaken said Narara went to the house that day to “apologise” for earlier damage he caused and to give the woman his bank card to make amends.

He became angry when she asked him to leave, Ms Teaken said.

Narara smashed door screens, a window, a mirror, and headbutted and punched the woman several times before arming himself with a sledgehammer, the court was told.

Generic photo of a woman who is the victim of domestic violence.

The woman’s fear was so great that she broke a door to escape from him, Ms Teaken said.

Her dog went to protect her and Narara hit it once or twice in the head with the sledgehammer, the court was told.

The woman did not suffer lasting physical injuries in the assault.

When questioned by magistrate Adam Johnson about the dog’s injuries, Ms Teaken said she had no further details on the health or state of the dog after the attack.

Mr Johnson described Narara’s behaviour as “disgraceful” and noted he had previous convictions for violence, including causing grievous bodily harm to the same woman in the past.

Magistrate Adam Johnson described Narara’s behaviour as “disgraceful” and sentenced him in in Cairns Magistrates Court to 18 months’ imprisonment.

“The circumstances of the offences were quite confronting, also being in the presence of children and using coercion and intimidation together with violence ... you engaged in quite a disgraceful act of harming (the woman’s) dog – hitting the dog in the head with a sledgehammer one or two times,” Mr Johnson said.

He sentenced Narara to 18 months’ imprisonment, with a parole release date at the one-third mark.

Defence solicitor James Ellis-Smith said Narara had been drinking large amounts of vodka that day and his recollection of the events was “hazy”.

Narara’s recollection of the day’s events was said to be “hazy’ because he had been drinking vodka.

“In terms of his offending against the dog, I am told it had bitten him before,” Mr Ellis Smith said.

Narara entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity, he said, saving the community and the court time and money.

He said Narara was a father and a grandfather, had a good work history as a fencer and groundskeeper, and had qualifications in horticulture and rural operations.

Originally published as Edmonton fencer Ronald James Narara hits dog with sledgehammer while attacking his partner