Dad in Mackay court for assault, domestic violence breach

A 21yo Queensland dad threatened to kill his child and her mother in a ‘frightening’ barrage of abuse saying he wasn’t afraid of cops and he’d even sign the death certificate. DETAILS

A young dad threatened to kill his former partner and their daughter if he was denied parental access, a court has heard.

The 21-year-old father, who legally can’t be named as it would identify the mother and victim of a protection order breach, was inside Capricornia Correctional Centre when the matter was heard before Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the man had last year been sentenced to nine months jail for twice assaulting the mother and was released on parole in December.

Three months later on March 4, he was violent again.

Police prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao said the mother was lying down when he pulled her from the bed, leaving her with bruises and scratches on her breasts.

“The victim was advised to attend Mater Hospital to have her injuries documented,” she said.

“The victim states that the defendant had asked her to drive him to another address and while she was driving he slapped her in the side of the face.”

Then nine days later he breached a DV protection order when he barraged her with threatening texts and calls for one hour.

The messages included: “I’ll kill you c***”, “I’m coming for you”, “You’re going to see dangerous”, “I’m coming to cut your head off”, “I’ll hang the c*** on your mother’s fence”, “I’ll sign your death certificate” and “I’m not scared of cops”.

The court further heard he also threatened to kill their daughter if the mother prevented him from seeing her.

“In my submission, it’s not a once off brain explosion but a more protracted period (of offending),” Ms Taufa’ao said.

Solicitor Geoff Govey said the Mackay-born dad was “very remorseful” for his actions, and his victim — who he was in a relationship with for three years — had actually given a “glowing” character reference.

He contrasted the prosecution in submitting the breach occurred over a “relatively short” time.

“It’s no excuse whatsoever but anger and emotions run high under those sort of circumstances … he didn’t intend to carry it (the threats) out but of course it would have been frightening,” Mr Govey said.

He said the 21 year old was educated to Year 9 before working as a fisherman and he intended to live with his Nan and Aunty in Bowen upon release from jail with hopes to go back to work as a labourer.

Acting Magistrate Stephen Byrne said youth had not prevented the man from accumulating an “almost two-page criminal history” with a predominate “domestic violence flavour to it” but he was pleased to see he had begun counselling.

Pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence) and contravention of a domestic violence order (aggravated), the man was sentenced to eight months jail, wholly-suspended for two years.

But he will not be freed just yet as he must still serve the remainder of his previous jail sentence which Mr Byrne said expired on July 3.

Originally published as Dad in Mackay court for assault, domestic violence breach