Jail for attacks on wife

A DISABILITY pensioner who cracked his wife’s skull with a chair during an alcohol-fuelled fight has been jailed.

Robert Wayne Frith, of Sheffield, pleaded guilty to one count of assault and one of causing grievous bodily harm to relation to two family violence incidents in 2017. Justice Robert Pearce said the 69year-old and his wife Vicky Harwood were heavy drinkers.

The Supreme Court in Burnie was told the charge of assault stemmed from an attack prompted by Frith’s suspicion his wife was being unfaithful. After driving to an isolated quarry, Frith told his wife to place her hand on a stump.

He then hit her hand with a plank of wood, breaking her thumb. Justice Pearce said Frith had shown no remorse.

He went to a hotel after the attack to try to find the man he thought was in a relationship with her. Frith bragged to other patrons he had broken his wife’s fingers to get at the truth.

The grievous bodily harm charged stemmed from another incident that same year.

During a fight at their home, Ms Harwood had a piece of broken glass in her hand and was threatening Frith with it. The court was told he struck his wife to the head twice with a chair, cracking her skull. She needed 20 stitches to close the wound.

Justice Pearce said Frith had a record of serious violence. He was sentenced yesterday to three years and six months in jail backdated to December 12, 2017 when he was taken into custody. He will not be eligible for parole until half that sentence is served.