Man jailed for 'manipulative, intimidating' DV charges

The magistrate said the man was clearly controlling, manipulative and intimidating.

A MAN who consistently concealed his violence refused to let his ex-partner talk to her mum after he repeatedly punched her.

The 21-year-old man pleaded guilty to 12 domestic violence charges in Murgon Magistrates Court on December 18.

Magistrate Louisa Pink said the man was clearly controlling, manipulative and intimidating.

"This is serious offending and this woman needs protection," she said.

The man also faced one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, three counts of common assault and eight counts of contravention of a domestic violence order in court.

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Police prosecutor Barry Stevens said the Murgon man had a verbal argument at the aggrieved's house at 9am on November 19.

"The defendant became angrier and told the aggrieved to leave the house," he said.

Sgt Stevens said the aggrieved then moved into the living room and sat on the sofa crying, before the defendant stood over her.

"The defendant started pushing the aggrieved hard on the back of the head, and pushed her against the couch, and did so for about 20 minutes," he said.

"Prior to doing this he had already locked the front door and closed all of the windows, so no one could get in or out."

The aggrieved then left the house.

The court heard the aggrieved was approached by the defendant in her bedroom later the same day at around 3pm.

Sgt Stevens said the defendant searched through the aggrieved's bedside drawers and found an old, empty, open condom wrapper.

"He accused her of cheating, the aggrieved ignored the defendant," he said.

"The defendant then walked around the house, locked the doors and windows, preventing her from going outside the house."

The court heard the aggrieved walked out of the bedroom and sat on the couch, before the defendant stood over her again and pushed her head into the sofa.

"The aggrieved felt pain in the neck from the defendant's constant pushing," Sgt Stevens said.

He said at about 4.30pm the aggrieved's father arrived at the house.

"The defendant sat down and acted like nothing had happened," Sgt Stevens said.

The court heard the aggrieved went and laid on the defendant's bed during the morning on November 20.

Sgt Stevens said the man had gone for a walk, and shortly afterwards the aggrieved left the house and sat on a bench near the library.

The court heard the man appeared across the road, asked her what she was doing and then asked about the condom again before the aggrieved admitted it was used.

The woman mouthed help at a passing police car, but it did not stop.

"Once the police car was out of sight, the defendant grabbed the aggrieved by her shirt and pulled the aggrieved to her feet," Sgt Stevens said.

The court heard he grabbed her by the skirt and pulled her about 10 metres before swinging her around and letting her go, causing her to fall over.

"The aggrieved quickly jumped up and punched the defendant with her fist multiple times on the left side of his face with the attempt to get away," he said.

She walked away and he approached her and punched her multiple times to the head and body.

"She said 'leave me alone, leave me alone'," Sgt Stevens said.

She then walked back to the house.

The court heard at around 10.20am the same morning, the aggrieved asked the defendant's mother if she could call her own mother who was interstate.

Sgt Stevens said the aggrieved exited the house to wait for her mother to call her back, and the defendant followed.

"The defendant said, 'shut your mouth, don't say anything to your mother'," he said.

The court heard she was allegedly unable to answer the phone call due to his dominating behaviour.

"The defendant went inside for a short period of time and the aggrieved took the opportunity to tell her mother what had happened," Sgt Stevens said.

The 21-year-old man saw the call and followed the aggrieved who soon stopped and was picked up by her father who drove her away.

Defence lawyer Alan Korobacz said they were a very young couple who were inexperienced and not coping with that relationship properly.

"It's not healthy your honour, both of them indulge in too much alcohol," he said.

Magistrate Pink said on another occasion the man had lunged at the woman, told her he would whack her and punched her on the right side of her face.

"There was at least twice when you were engaging in this domestic violence, where you locked the door and closed all of the windows so no one would hear," she said.

"In addition to that behaviour, which is dominating and controlling, you told her not to tell her own mother about it, again trying to cover your own tracks."

The 21-year-old man was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, with the parole release date set for January 18, after a third had been served.

The man received six months' imprisonment for charge one and 11, for the occasions when the man punched the aggrieved.

He received four months' imprisonment for charges five and eight, relating to the two occasions when he pushed the woman's head.

He received one month imprisonment for charge 13, trying to intimidate her into not talking to her mother.

For the remaining charges, the man was convicted and not further punished due to the penalties already imposed.

The 28 days the man had been in custody from November 20 to December 17, was deemed time already served.

All convictions were recorded.

QUEENSLAND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES

1. DVConnect Womensline: 1800 811 811
2. DVConnect Mensline: 1800 600 636
3. 1800RESPECT national hotline: [phone]

NEW SOUTH WALES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES

1. NSW Domestic Violence Line: 1800 656 463
2. 1800RESPECT national hotline: [phone]

Originally published as Man jailed for 'manipulative, intimidating' DV charges