Tasmanian rapists: Man appeals 17 year jail term for multiple rapes of ex wife

A Tasmanian man jailed for 17 years after inflicting horrific sexual and emotional abuse against his former wife for more than a decade has made a bid to overturn his sentence.

Supreme Court of Tasmania, Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Richard Jupe

A Tasmanian man jailed for 17 years after inflicting horrific sexual and emotional abuse against his former wife for more than a decade has made a bid to overturn his sentence.

The man, aged 40, was jailed earlier this year after pleading guilty to a charge of persistent family violence.

In his sentencing on April 26, Chief Justice Alan Blow ordered the man not be able to apply for parole until he had served a decade behind bars.

Among the man’s extensive offending against his former wife – which spanned from 2004 until 2017 – included nine rapes, with a “variety of aggravating circumstances”, multiple physical assaults and instances of damaging property including at their home and even the woman’s car.

On one occasion, the man was said to have assaulted the woman by grabbing her by the hair and dragging her out of a doorway, while her mother was within earshot.

The man was sentenced for nine instances of rape against the woman.

The details of some of his more serious offences are so graphic that this publication has opted not to repeat them.

In his published sentencing remarks, Justice Blow noted that while the man acknowledged there were “significant problems” with communication in the relationship, he did not “accept that anything he did amounted to rape”.

“Remorse is not a mitigating factor in this case,” Justice Blow said.

The man was said to have since moved on to a new partner, with Justice Blow saying it was “very clear” he did not treat her in the same way he treated his former wife.

He noted the woman, as outlined in her victim impact statement, still suffered “continually from disturbing psychological symptoms”, including nightmares, panic attacks, intrusive memories, social withdrawal, vulnerability and anxiety.

The man is appealing his 17 year sentence on the grounds that the order was ‘manifestly excessive’ and that the judge had erred in not imposing the minimum non-parole period. Picture: Istock

“The only appropriate sentence in this case is a very long term of imprisonment. Family violence is a terrible problem in our community, and this case is an extremely bad example of family violence. Although the physical injuries were minimal, the impact on the complainant has been devastating,” Justice Blow said.

A notice of appeal lodged by the man’s solicitor Fabiano Cangelosi stated he sought leave to appeal on three grounds – including that the sentence was “manifestly excessive in all the circumstances”.

Further grounds for the appeal included the judge’s “findings as to the particulars of family violence were unreasonable and cannot be supported having regard to the whole of the evidence” and that the judge had erred by “failing to impose the minimum non-parole period”.

In sentencing, Justice Blow said he would fix the non-parole period that is longer than the shortest possible period.

“It will be the period that, because of the seriousness of his crimes, I consider to be the minimum period that he should spend in custody,” he said.