Labourer jailed for sick night of terror

A TOOWOOMBA labourer who tied up his Gold Coast ex-girlfriend in her own bed and stole her cat will stay behind bars until December.

The 23-year-old man, who cannot be named, yesterday pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court to several domestic violence offences relating to a terror-filled evening at a Gold Coast property in December 2015.

The court heard the then 28-year-old woman met the man online in February 2015 and moved from the Gold Coast to Toowoomba to be with her boyfriend some months later.

After just two weeks, the man ended the relationship and she returned to the Gold Coast.

The court heard the pair had planned to travel to Africa but after the break-up called off the trip, but the man still owed about $1400 to his former partner.

He planned to travel to the Gold Coast on December 16 to pay the money and say goodbye but when he heard his former partner would be alone a night earlier he drove from Toowoomba and arrived at her home unannounced about 11pm, while she slept.

He then offered to give her a massage before pinning her hands together behind her back with zip ties while he deleted all messages from him on her phone, the court heard.

Crown prosecutor Ben Jackson told the court the woman believed she was going to be raped and was struggling to breathe as the man lay on top of her.

He then kicked the woman in the stomach and cut the zip ties off and took them with him. Some hours later the man phoned his ex-girlfriend and told her he had taken her cat.

“He intended to keep it in his possession to inflict emotional harm or get her to do something she wouldn’t otherwise do,” Mr Jackson said.

Judge David Kent sentenced him to 18 months jail. He will be released on parole in December.