Wilsonton Nine survivor, Tristan Gary Hooper, convicted of days long violent assault on ex

A young woman was forced to endure days of physical and verbal abuse by her ex-partner, leaving her scared for her life.

Tristan Hooper

A man who subjected his ex-partner to three days of violent and threatening abuse has blamed his actions on drug addiction.

Over three days Wilsonton Nine survivor Tristan Gary Hooper, 28, strangled, battered, threatened and intimidated his former partner leaving her physically injured and fearing for her life.

Hooper was present and beaten when Debbie Combarngo was killed in a notorious case dating back to 2018 - the perpetrators of which were labelled the ‘Wilsonton Nine’.

The 28-year-old appeared via video link before Toowoomba District Court, pleading guilty to eleven offences including strangulation which contravened a domestic violence order made to protect his ex-girlfriend.

Hooper was previously convicted 10 times for contravening the same domestic violence order, most recently for threatening to kill the woman.

Tristan Hooper.

Crown prosecutor Abby Kong said the victim, who had only recently separated from Hooper, was staying at a relative’s home when he showed up demanding to talk.

“(He told her) to get in the f--king car, he was angry and he drove her up to another place on a dirt road,” Ms Kong said.

“The assault involved pulling her hair and then pushing her face … he was calling her abusive names.”

Hooper then drove her home but returned the following day.

“The assault on that occasion involved her effectively telling him to leave, him refusing and so squeezing her body tightly so that she couldn’t move.

“He stayed the night.”

The next morning, Hooper became enraged following an argument with the woman.

“(He) strangled her to the point that she could not breathe, he held onto her throat for a few seconds, she felt like she was going to die,” Ms Kong said.

“What proceeded after that was a protracted assault against her where he punched her numerous times in the face – she felt no less than 20 times.

“She called out for help, no one came.”

With the woman cowering in the foetal position, Hooper proceeded to stomp on her head and continued hitting her.

She then sat crying on her bed while Hooper called out “you asked for this” and “you deserved this” from the living room.

He again assaulted her, punching her in the face repeatedly and threatening to smash her teeth out.

“She remained on the ground, she was in pain, her nose was bleeding and her vision was blurry,” Ms Kong said.

While waiting for an ambulance, Hooper confronted the woman again.

“He then ran towards the complainant, she turned away and he punched her again with a closed fist to the head.

“He then punched her a few more times in her face.”

Defence barrister Douglas Wilson said Hooper was making changes to better himself.

“He understands he has a lot to do,” Mr Wilson said.

“At least on his part, Mr Hooper says the relationship issues are purely caused as a result of his drug use.

“When he is released he intends to try and stay clean.”

Judge Horneman-Wren SC condemned Hooper’s “terrible” actions but concluded addiction played heavily into his offending.

“It’s your drug use, which commenced at a very early age which is the centre of that offending; absent of that you’re probably unlikely to commit such offences,” he said.

Hooper was charged under two indictments with strangulation in a domestic setting, assault occasioning bodily harm, four counts of common assault, three counts of contravening a domestic violence order, stealing and wilful damage.

He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with 17 months of pre-sentence custody declared time served and granted immediate parole.