Joseph Keith Cutmore, Courtney Elizabeth McCreath sentenced for gruesome Ipswich torture

A woman was forced to clean up her own blood after a vengeful duo’s ‘abhorrent’ attack — including ripping out her nose ring and pressing an axe to her neck — in a gruesome garage torture.

A woman was forced to clean up her own blood after a vengeful duo’s “horrendous” torture acts in an Ipswich garage.

A woman was forced to clean up her own blood after a vengeful duo’s “horrendous” torture acts in an Ipswich garage.

Goodna man Joseph Keith Cutmore, 27, and Courtney Elizabeth McCreath, 36, both pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on Thursday to torture.

The court heard the duo, allegedly accompanied by others, held the 27-year-old woman captive in a Goodna garage on June 6, 2021.

Crown prosecutor Hamish McIntyre said events kicked off when the victim was accused of stealing from their co-offender Wanita Josephine Cartwright.

The court heard McCreath “commenced” the torture by closing the garage door and striking her.

Mr McIntyre said an “unknown male co-offender” allegedly threatened to cut the victim’s toes off, threatened to kill her, and also pressed an axe against her neck at one point.

The court heard McCreath then punched the victim, “let her choose” how she wanted to be gagged, and told her to “sit there quietly and be a good girl”.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren said McCreath took a duffel bag of torture devices — including duct tape, a noose and zip ties — to the garage.

Mr McIntyre said Cutmore had used scissors to cut the tip of the victim’s middle finger off – before using the same scissors to rip her nose ring out and cut chunks out of her hair.

Ipswich Courthouse. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

The court heard the group then left her locked inside the garage for a time, before returning and continuing to beat and question her over alleged stolen property.

Mr McIntyre said McCreath threw water and washing power into the victim’s eyes, causing burning, and put her foot on the victim’s face while Cutmore stomped on her ankle.

The court heard the victim was also made to clean up her own blood from the floor, before McCreath covered her in petrol.

Mr McIntyre said the victim was then bundled into a boot and taken to a Goodna home – where she heard her uncle arrive and leave, powerless to call out to him for help.

He said they took her inside for a brief time, and Cutmore punched her about five times, before they bundled her into the boot again and took her to her own house.

Mr McIntyre said they searched her home and Cutmore struck her seven times in her shoulder with a baseball bat and a hammer.

He said they left her with a warning that if anyone asked, she should say her partner injured her.

Judge Horneman-Wren called the incident “horrendous” and “truly abhorrent”.

The victim’s injuries included a broken nose, sliced fingertip, and multiple fractures to her right foot.

Although the woman did not provide a victim impact statement, Judge Horneman-Wren said one could “readily infer” that “the ordeal must have been utterly terrifying for her”.

Co-offender Wanita Cartwright was sentenced last year for her smaller role in the offending.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to deprivation of liberty and three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm in company, and was sentenced to two and a half years jail.

Wanita Josephine Cartwright leaving the Ipswich Courthouse on September 23, 2022.

In addition to the torture, Cutmore also pleaded guilty on March 28 to robbery with personal violence, two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and seriously assaulting a public officer.

The court heard he had punched and spat at ambulance officers who were trying to help him during a medical episode in May, 2021.

He also punched two members of the public after stealing a handful of cash at a Subway in February 2021.

Mr McIntyre said one victim was knocked unconscious immediately from the blow, and both required hospitalisation.

Judge Horneman-Wren said there was a strong need to deter people from committing such acts against members of the public and public officers – and that there was “hopefully” less need for deterrence against torture.

“The offending which constitutes the torture charge was gratuitous, protracted, demeaning, frightening and deliberately violent,” he said.

Judge Horneman-Wren said both McCreath and Cutmore had experienced difficult upbringings, and Cutmore had struggled with substance abuse.

He noted McCreath had five children, and her youngest son was a newborn when she was taken into custody for this offending.

The court heard McCreath had used her time in jail to complete a number of certificates and she had taken on the role of head chef in prison.

She was sentenced to six years jail but with 345 days already served, she will be eligible to apply for parole on April 16, 2024.

Cutmore was sentenced to nine years jail but he has already served 650 days in pre-sentence custody which was declared as time served.

He will be eligible to apply for parole on June 15, 2024.

Originally published as Joseph Keith Cutmore, Courtney Elizabeth McCreath sentenced for gruesome Ipswich torture