North Queensland man sentenced in Townsville District Court for punching, choking woman just after returning from Australian Defence Force training

A Townsville man’s future in the Australian Defence Force is up in the air after he was arrested for punching and choking the mother of his children.

North Queensland man sentenced in Townsville District Court for punching, choking woman just after returning from Australian Defence Force training. Picture; generic.

A man who had just completed training in the Australian Army before he returned home and assaulted his ex, the mother of his children has fronted court as his future in the military remains on the line.

The 25-year-old man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the woman and their kids, appeared in Townsville District Court on Friday morning after already having spent 412 days behind bars.

Crown prosecutor Grace Ollason said on June 10 last year, just after finishing training in Singleton the man and his ex-fiance went out drinking while their children stayed at home with babysitters.

When they returned home the man accused her of cheating and started verbally abusing the woman in front of their child including telling them that their ‘mum is a wh-re’, the crown said.

Ms Ollason told the court the woman laid on the couch before the man punched her in the ear.

“She told him to ‘get f--ked’ and walked down the hall to the bedroom,” she said.

The man stood over the woman as she sat on the bed and punched her again multiple times in the face, then positioned himself on top of her as he continued to hit her, the court was told.

“He grabbed her by the throat with both hands, she couldn’t breathe and panicked for her life,” Ms Ollason said.

The woman grabbed the man's penis and squeezed in an attempt to free herself, however he only released one hand so she squeezed harder before the man stopped, the crown said.

The court was told the woman suffered bruising to her face and neck.

“He was not only violent, but there was a callousness regard by him in related to the protracted nature of his offending,” Ms Ollason said.

Chief Judge Brian Devereaux interjected and asked the court if the man had been getting paid by the army since being arrested for the offending.

Defence barrister Darin Honchin instructed by Stevenson and McNamara Lawyers said the man had been paid for three months after his arrest however payments stopped as he was not able to continue his duties.

“He has not been discharged from the army,” Mr Honchin said.

“It’s a discretionary matter for the army, they will wait for him to be sentenced here and that will inform their decision as to what they do.

“He was enjoying the military, he’s now got a black mark against him. This has been a serious mistake for him, he understands that.”

When handing down a sentence Chief Judge Devereaux said he wanted the man to engage in services that would help him address any alcohol issues, as well as assist with how he engages with women.

“The community finds domestic violence appalling, it’s completely out of place for a man to hit a woman and choke a woman like you did,” he said.

The man pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation.

He was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail, with His Honour declaring the 412 days spent in pre-sentence custody as time served and released on parole immediately.

Originally published as North Queensland man sentenced in Townsville District Court for punching, choking woman just after returning from Australian Defence Force training