Man, 24, who assaulted wife at shopping centre handed jail term
The 24-year-old had headbutted, punched then stomped on his wife in a shopping centre.
Police & Courts
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A 24-YEAR-OLD man who headbutted, punched and then stomped on his de facto wife has been jailed for 18 months.
The man, who because of domestic violence orders is not named, had been arguing with his partner over money matters at a Roma shopping centre on February 6, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.
During the argument, the 24-year-old headbutted his partner in the forehead, then punched her in the head to the point she fell to the floor, curled up to protect herself.
He had then stomped on her, prompting the woman’s mother to step in, the court heard.
Despite the woman’s mother holding the couple’s one-year-old child in her arms, the man punched her twice to the face as well.
He had then left the shopping centre, damaging his partner’s car parked outside, the court head.
He appeared via video link from Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre to plead guilty to all charges including assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence), wilful damage (domestic violence offence), common assault (domestic violence offence), two counts of breaching a domestic violence order, as well as to unrelated offences including possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils, assaulting police and obstructing police.
His solicitor Joe Millican told the court his client and his client’s partner had been addicted to drugs and his client had used heroin and ice.
However, since being in custody his client had done drug rehab courses and undergone detox, he said.
Mr Millican said his client’s relationship with the aggrieved had been a tumultuous one and they were now separated.
The argument had been over money and his client believed the woman owed him money and he was concerned that money she had taken from the ATM would be used on drugs instead of their children, Mr Millican said.
Magistrate Howard Osborne sentenced the man to 18 months in prison, minus the 117 days he had already served, and ordered he be released on parole as of December 5.
The man was also fined a total $1250.