Scott Leonard Howe pleads guilty to deprivation of liberty, domestic violence assaults

A woman has retold of the trauma she suffered at the hands of a former soldier who held her against her will, assaulted her and pointed what she thought was a shotgun at her face.

Scott Leonard Howe faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court from custody on Wednesday. Picture: David Clark

A former Australian Army soldier has been released on parole for the “terrifying” detainment of his former partner involving a gel-blaster which she thought was a “shotgun”.

The victim was subjected to a series of horror assaults and threats at the hands of Scott Leonard Howe on July 30 last year following arguments between them about their relationship.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard the details of this horrific attack after the 45-year-old’s pleas of guilty to multiple charges including two of common assault, one of assault, one of deprivation of liberty and other traffic charges.

Police prosecutor Val Crossley told the court Howe returned to their caravan at North Arm on the day of the incident after previously leaving the victim.

Senior Sergeant Crossley said the 45-year-old, donning an army vest and equipped with what she believed was a shotgun, grabbed her aggressively and yelled at her about their relationship.

The court heard during the frightening ordeal Howe kicked, assaulted, and held a “shotgun” at her face while threatening her with it. The weapon turned out to be a gel blaster, however the court heard the woman did not know this.

Scott Leonard Howe. Picture: Facebook

Senior Sergeant Crossley said Howe also took her phone and did not give it back. At the time he said she was also not allowed to move.

After 30 minutes, she finally convinced him to let her go and she fled for help and was later taken to hospital, where she was treated for bruising to parts of her body.

Howe went to the police station and made several admissions to police and was arrested. He was refused bail in court and spent about six months on remand until his court appearance on Wednesday.

Senior Sergeant Crossley said the victim suffered trauma from the incident where she believed she “could have been killed”.

Defence solicitor Ella Scoles made clear she would not try to minimise the seriousness of Howe’s actions, which would have been “terrifying” for the woman, but to explain his personal circumstances which led up to that point.

Ms Scoles recounted Howe’s 13-year career in the Australian Army before he was medically discharged in 2013. Up until then he was involved in the Transport Corp and received commendations for his assistance in the G20 summit and help during the 2011 floods in Condamine.

He pleaded guilty to all charges. Picture: David Clark

She said in more recent times the 45-year-old, raised in Sydney’s western suburbs, was a lead mentor for indigenous tertiary education.

Ms Scoles Howe’s time on remand had been “shocking and terrible” where he sometimes spent 20 to 22 hours confined in a cell which was overcrowded.

In delivering the sentence, magistrate Rod Madsen read snippets of the woman’s victim impact statement where she said it was the most terrifying incident that’s ever happened to her.

Mr Madsen said she found it difficult to sleep and was impacted heavily from the incident, but would do everything she could to get over it.

“He should not have harmed me in the first place,” Mr Madsen recounted from the woman’s statement.

The magistrate labelled it as “terrifying” offending, however opted to set his parole release date as of Wednesday due to his lack of criminal history, his remorse and the admissions he made to police.

Howe was given a head sentence of two years but granted immediate parole.

Originally published as Scott Leonard Howe pleads guilty to deprivation of liberty, domestic violence assaults