Trouble in paradise
Former millionaire motorhome mogul jailed for bashing wife over who would buy cup of coffee
A FORMER Gold Coast motorhome mogul will spend the next six months in prison after pleading guilty to bashing his wife six times in the space of a month.
Disgraced businessman Colin Robert MacLean, whose business had an $18 million annual turnover at its peak, admitted smacking his wife of 31 years in the face over who was buying coffee, throwing her out of a shower, punching her four times in and pulling her hair, and threatening her with a hunting knife.
MacLean pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, three counts of common assault and a count of threatening violence in the Southport District Court yesterday.
The 59-year-old was sentenced to two years prison which was wholly suspended after six months.
The sentence completed MacLean’s “fall from grace” after his award-winning business Paradise Motor Homes went into receivership in March last year.
MacLean and his wife split and the assaults occurred after they tried to get back together, the court was told. During the split, the wife became involved in a relationship with another man.
Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher told the court MacLean bashed his wife on six separate days between September and October 2016.
In the first assault, MacLean grabbed his wife by the forearm and flung her out of the shower they were both sharing.
Days later MacLean became angry when his wife refused to kiss him, so he struck her in the side of the head.
The blow caused his wife to hear a popping sound that left her with buzzing in her ears and balance issues.
The court heard MacLean told his wife: “You’ve got to wake up to yourself.”
In a more protracted attack, MacLean stuck her a total of four times and pulled her hair.
When MacLean and his wife discussed getting coffee on the way to work he hit her and said “don’t speak to me that way” when she offered to get the drinks.
A day later he threw a hunting knife into a mattress multiple times and told her how sharp it was.
Ms Gallagher said MacLean’s actions were “despicable” and his wife seemed to go out of her way to placate him.
The court was told MacLean’s wife set up CCTV around the house to capture the assaults, which were played in closed court.
Defence barrister Jeffrey Hunter QC, instructed by Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, told the court MacLean’s wife had previously “lured” him to the family home while her boyfriend was there.
Mr Hunter said she made disparaging remarks about MacLean’s sexual performance, even after he had engaged with a surgeon to remedy “what his wife pointed out as a deficiency”. “(His) fall from grace is pretty much complete,” Mr Hunter said.
Since being charged MacLean had completed 16 twohour counselling sessions.
Despite having no savings or any superannuation, Mr Hunter said MacLean had reached an emotional “equilibrium”, had a new fiancee and a deep insight into his actions.
In sentencing, Judge David Kent QC said it should be made clear that the community denounces MacLean’s behaviour.