‘I will burn you’: Woman locks children away from dad's 'abhorrent' abuse

A court has heard how an Ipswich woman had to barricade her children in a room to protect them from their own abusive father.

A woman's hands in front of her face. Picture: Supplied

An Ipswich man has faced sentence for a shocking display of domestic violence, during which his partner barricaded their children from him after he had drunkenly assaulted and threatened to burn her.

The man, in his 40s, pleaded guilty on October 18, 2022, to assault occasioning bodily harm (DV), common assault (DV), four counts of contravening a domestic violence order, and one breach of bail (DV).

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Bridie O’Shea told the court the man’s offending could be described as “appalling display of violence”.

The court heard the man‘s offending commenced earlier this year, when he was intoxicated and struck his partner in the thigh with a large wooden CD rack, causing bruising.

He asked her to leave the room and, as she did, he threw a speaker at her, hitting her in the ribs.

Four days later, he threatened his partner, saying “I will burn you and everything here”.

Magistrate Kathleen Payne said his partner had told the police “[the man] was constantly saying words to that effect to her, and that [he] understands why people burn their partners”.

The day after he made that threat, the man returned home drunk and, after a verbal argument, took his partner’s phone to stop her from calling the police and pulled her into a headlock.

He punched her in the face and arm, called her a dog and told her she was “f**king useless”.

The court heard that on another occasion, the man’s partner had to usher their children into a room and guard the door so he couldn’t reach them.

“One can only imagine the impact such conduct had on those young persons,” said Ms Payne.

“They’re in their own home, and they’re being locked in a room to protect them from their father – it’s shocking conduct.”

The court heard the man had a relevant history of domestic violence, but the most recent incident was in 2013.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said the man “recognises that, to at least some extent, alcohol and anger management issues have impacted upon his behaviour … and further recognises the need to address that moving forward”.

Ms Payne said “your conduct is persistent and abhorrent … It demonstrates a complete disregard on your part for the orders of the court”.

The man received a head sentence of nine months imprisonment, with immediate parole release.

His presentence custody of 54 days was declared time-served, and he was further ordered to serve 18 months of parole.

Originally published as ‘I will burn you’: Woman locks children away from dad's 'abhorrent' abuse