Drew Butler: Jim’s Mowing contractor guilty of assaulting ex

A Logan man launched a violent and craven attack on his Somerset region ex-partner who he acted as carer for, a court has heard.

A Logan lawnmower who acted as carer for his ex-partner launched a savage attack on her after accusing the woman of hiding cigarettes and money from him.

Rochedale South man Drew Adrian Butler, 37, who the court heard was employed full-time as a subcontractor with Jim’s Mowing, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday to a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm.

The court heard the assault occurred at an address in Mount Hallen, where Butler formerly lived with his ex-partner, on February 8 this year.

The victim was Butler’s former partner of about 15 years, with whom he has two children.

They had broken up in 2016 but still lived together and Butler acted as her carer, the court heard.

Drew Adrian Butler, 37. Picture: Alex Treacy

On the day in question, Butler became “frustrated” there were no cigarettes in the house and accused the victim of hiding them and also money.

He launched an aerosol can at her, which narrowly missed, and called her a “fat, ugly slut”, to which she responded she would be “out of the house by Thursday”.

As she sat in an armchair, Butler grabbed her by the throat with both hands and squeezed for about 10 seconds, telling her, “Why wait ‘til Thursday, f*** off now”, the court heard.

He attended Esk Police Station later that day and made frank admissions, spending a day in the watchhouse, the court was told.

Butler had a “concerning” but not particularly relevant criminal history featuring multiple convictions for drug and weapons offences.

It was submitted on Butler’s behalf that he no longer had any contact with his victim with whom he had a “somewhat volatile” relationship.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess said Butler was clearly not fit to be caring for his ex-partner.

She sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole.

Originally published as Drew Butler: Jim’s Mowing contractor guilty of assaulting ex