Kenny Junior Quaresma sentenced in Dalby District Court for strangulation of former partner

A Dalby woman says she has had to install security cameras at her home, and wakes up in the middle of the night to check the locks, after her ex-partner violently choked her in front of their children.

Kenny Junior Quaresma was sentenced in Dalby District Court for strangulation. Photo: Social media.

A Dalby woman has been left living in fear, with a last-minute change of plea possibly the only thing saving her attacker from spending time behind bars.

Kenny Junior Quaresma faced Dalby District Court on Wednesday pleading guilty to strangulation in a domestic setting following an incident on June 8 2022.

Initially scheduled for a trial, the jury was dismissed after a last minute guilty plea by the 33-year-old.

This was the second trial date set for Quaresma after he failed to appear at his trial last year.

The court was told on the day of the offending Quaresma had rocked up uninvited at his former partner's Dalby home with his two young children running to the door to greet him.

Quaresma then asked his young daughter if she wanted to go with him and without asking her mother picked up the child and began walking out the back door, an action which Judge Benedict Power KC said would've been “terrifying” for the mother.

The mother then reportedly screamed at Quaresma to put down their child and managed to wrestle her daughter from his arms before calling the police.

The court was told Quaresma then flew into a rage calling his ex partner a “little f--kng b---h” and strangling her for several seconds, with the sounds of choking being recorded by police on the other end of the phone.

Both of his children were present at the time of the strangulation.

The complainant then reportedly grabbed her children and locked them in a bathroom before Quaresma left the scene.

Later that day police arrested Quaresma, who initially denied the strangulation while the victim was treated at the Dalby Hospital for bruising and neck pain.

In a victim impact statement the complainant said since the incident she had been experiencing anxiety, was having trouble sleeping and found herself getting up in the middle of the night to check the locks.

She had also invested in security cameras for her property fearing Quaresma may return.

A protection order was put in place following the incident not allowing Quaresma within 100m of his ex-partner and children and only being able to contact them by phone.

Quaresma was supported in court by his mother and childhood friend who submitted character references. His friend described Quaresma as “not a violent person” and said he had been struggling the past two years being unable to see his children.

In sentencing Judge Power praised Quaresma‘s decision to plead guilty, albeit at the last minute.

“Had you gone to trial and been found guilty it’s inevitable you would’ve gone to prison,” he said.

“By pleading guilty you made it so the mother of your two children did not have to give evidence and face cross examination.”

Quaresma was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay $3000 in compensation to the victim. The protection order was extended until August 29, 2029.

Originally published as Kenny Junior Quaresma sentenced in Dalby District Court for strangulation of former partner