Cairns woman allegedly strangled and pursued with knife in shocking domestic violence attack

A young woman cowered in a cane field for an hour as a man who had allegedly strangled her unconscious hunted her through the paddock armed with a knife, police allege.

THE fight for domestic violence shelter funding has escalated as details emerge of a horrific alleged strangulation during which a woman was forced to hide from her accused attacker in canefields south of Cairns.

A young woman cowered in a canefield for an hour as a man who had allegedly strangled her unconscious hunted her through the paddock armed with a knife, police said.

Far North police Acting Det Insp Kevin Goan said police were called to the property south of Edmonton where the 27-year-old Wrights Creek man was arrested and charged with eight offences including assault, strangulation, assault occasioning bodily harm and unlawful stalking.

Acting Detective Inspector Kevin Goans said an incident where a woman was allegedly strangled until she lost consciousness was “disturbing”. Picture: Brendan Radke

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The alleged attack comes as women including Cairns-based Labor Senator Nita Green fight for funding for domestic violence support services.

Legal representatives for Jehyson Taru did not seek bail or enter a plea in Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday and he was remanded in custody with the case adjourned until May.

“He is alleged to have supplied significant force to the throat of the victim, rendering her virtually unconscious,” Det Insp Goan said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that this lady was terrified, because of what had occurred to her and the fact he was (allegedly) armed with a knife and very motivated in seeking her out from where she was hiding.”

Police were called to the Hill Rd property about 4am on Monday.

Police have alleged the woman and Mr Taru had been in a relationship some time before the incident.

“She is clearly very shaken by the ordeal and was taken to hospital,” Det Insp Goan said.

“The acts of worry to us is the fact he was (allegedly) very driven seeking out his victim, who had taken shelter within a cane paddock.”

The terrified victim of an alleged domestic violence incident hid in a canefield at Wrights Creek. Picture: Cameron Bates

Federal, state and territory ministers responsible for women’s safety met on Wednesday to address the replacement of the nation’s first domestic violence national plan.

Ms Green said there were insufficient long-term shelter options for victims of domestic violence, with the Ruth’s Hub drop-in centre in Cairns facing the prospect of closing its doors unless there was continued federal funding.

Ms Green said domestic violence organisations identified homelessness as being a one of the biggest issues in Cairns – a couple of nights’ shelter was all that was on offer. “Today, women’s safety advocates around the country have called on the federal government to continue funding that was made available during COVID because of the increased risks,” she said.

Originally published as Cairns woman allegedly strangled and pursued with knife in shocking domestic violence attack