‘Be ashamed of yourself’: Magistrate slams DV offender in Warwick court

‘If you want to go (to jail), we’ll send you there’: Magistrate Gary Finger unleashed a severe reprimand on the former Warwick resident for violently shoving his partner during an argument while a child was in the house.

IN COURT: The former Warwick resident shoved his partner of three years into a bathroom wall during a heated dispute, which occurred while a child was also in the house. Picture: RapidEye / iStock

A man who violently shoved his partner in an alcohol-fuelled assault has been given a stern dressing-down by the Warwick magistrate for breaching a domestic violence order.

Police were called to the couple’s Warwick home at about 9pm on May 6, where the woman reported her partner had shoved her into the ensuite wall during a heated verbal argument earlier that evening.

The Warwick Magistrates Court heard the 44-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was drinking alcohol for several hours prior to the offending and left shortly after the scuffle.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the woman’s child was in the house at the time, with the pair forced to flee to safety later that night.

“Police were unsuccessful in locating the (man) and arranged alternative accommodation for the (victim) and the child, who were fearful (he) would return as he had communicated to (her) he had the keys to the house,” Sergeant de Lissa said.

Duty lawyer Clare Hine said her client’s alcohol abuse spiralled out of control after he and his partner of three years moved to Warwick from Brisbane, only for the man to lose his new job and their house months later.

“He sees his behaviour throughout all this as appalling. All he can say is he was under a lot of pressure, they’d lost a lot of money … and for a time they’d even been homeless,” she said.

“He’s said that, for the first time really, he’s taking things seriously. He’s booked in as an outpatient at rehab in Brisbane and is hoping to take some steps for his alcoholism.”

The man’s conduct was denounced in court by Magistrate Gary Finger, who told the domestic violence offender he “ought to be ashamed of himself”.

“You breaching a protection order again clearly shows me your attitude to women and your partner,” Mr Finger said.

“I can guarantee you if you come before the court again for either a drink driving offence or a protection (order) breach, you’ll go to prison and do actual time.

“If you want to go there, we’ll send you there … (and) the maximum penalty you’re going to find in relation to breaching a protection order is seven years in prison.”

The man pleaded guilty to one count of contravening a domestic violence order.

He was placed on probation for two years with a requirement to participate in counselling as directed.

Originally published as ‘Be ashamed of yourself’: Magistrate slams DV offender in Warwick court