Darren Eric Savage strangled his partner at her Allenstown home

An offender with an eight page rap sheet who called his partner a liar, slut and c---t, continually tracked his victim down to a Rockhampton pub and then later pushed her against a wall, holding her by the throat.

Darren Eric Savage strangled his partner at her Allenstown home. He was on parole at the time and sentenced to three years prison.

A recidivist domestic violence offender was on parole for such crimes when he strangled his partner in a protracted jealous attack.

Darren Eric Savage, 45, was banned by the courts from even being near his now former partner, 37, when he started a tirade of abuse and assault on July 21, 2022, in an Allenstown residence.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Godfrey told Rockhampton District Court on August 28 that Savage’s partner was cooking dinner when Savage called her a liar, slut and c---t.

He said the pair argued and their heads almost touched at one stage before the victim’s forehead accidentally hit Savage’s nose, causing it to bleed.

Mr Godfrey said the victim “immediately tried to comfort” Savage however, he spat in her face and she “returned in kind”.

He said the victim temporarily left the house to check on the couple’s children and when she returned, they continued to argue and push each other with the victim punching Savage on the chin once.

Mr Godfrey said the victim left the house for two to three hours and Savage found her drinking at the Brunswick Hotel where he attended three or four times, trying to get her to return to the house.

He said when the victim did return home, Savage accused her again of infidelity and then ended up in a scuffle.

Mr Godfrey said Savage pushed the victim up against a wall and held her by her throat with both hands for 10-15 seconds.

He said the victim struggled to breathe.

Mr Godfrey said the victim initially resisted, but after she stopped, Savage released her.

He said the victim sought safety by returning to the Brunswick and when she left, she noticed Savage walking back to the hotel so she hid in bushes.

He said she returned home and locked Savage out of the house before finding Savage had smashed a television.

Savage returned to the house, knocked on the door and left 10 minutes later.

The police attended the next day and noticed bruising and red marks on her neck.

Savage denied the offending when talking with police and then made various comments including that he was a “jealous bastard” and that he was going to “kill” a male friend of the victim’s.

He also claimed the victim had thrown his phone at the television and she had been thrown out of the Brunswick for “being drunk as a skunk”.

“Neither of those occurred,” Mr Godfrey said.

Savage’s eight-page criminal record included 26 prior convictions for domestic violence type offences since May 2016.

Defence barrister Jordan Ahlstrand said his client now accepted the relationship, which was unhealthy, is over and he desires to relocated to Ipswich with his sister.

Judge Jeff Clarke said Savage had been released from prison in May 2022.

He said a victim impact statement provided to the court stated the victim and the children were suffering the emotional, financial and social difficulties with the woman medicated for anxiety.

Judge Clarke said the children worried what would happen once Savage was released from prison, their school work had suffered and did not have friends over for a visit as they feared Savage would return to the house.

“She is fearful that the sentence imposed will not keep any of them safe from you,” he said to Savage.

Savage pleaded guilty to one count each of strangulation (domestic violence offence), wilful damage (domestic violence offence) and breaching a domestic violence order.

He was sentenced to three years prison, cumulative on the previous sentence handed down in March 2022.

Savage will be eligible for parole on September 22, 2023.

Originally published as Darren Eric Savage strangled his partner at her Allenstown home