Battered mum fights back

Don’t stoop to ex’s level, judge warns

MUM Renee Murgha had endured a relationship marked by violence for five years until, “fed up”, she took matters into her own hands at the blade of a knife.

Cairns District Court this week was told Murgha, after a long history of enduring violence at the hands of her partner, heard him swearing and complaining about her while on the phone with his mother in May last year.

She emerged from the kitchen with a small knife and plunged it into her partner’s chest and arm.

The mother of six, 39, pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding the man, 27, who suffered cuts to his collarbone and right arm.

The court heard Murgha’s partner had been convicted for inflicting three assaults occasioning bodily harm and two common assaults on the defendant.

Judge Dean Morzone urged Murgha not to sink to her now ex-partner’s level.

“You had reached a point in your relationship where things had been starting to break on you,” Judge Morzone said. “I accept you suffered continued violence by your partner for five years – your partner has to wake up to himself.

“Just because he was violent to you in the past does not make it OK to use violence on him.”

He said the chance of Murgha reoffending was “very low”.

“It was telling of the circumstances you were trying to endure and keep your family together,” Judge Morzone said.

“You need to make sure this is not your story, you need to stay different.”

He sentenced Murgha to 18 months in jail, wholly suspended for 18 months.

“It would serve no purpose for you to go to prison,” Judge Morzone said.

I ACCEPT YOU SUFFERED CONTINUED VIOLENCE BY YOUR PARTNER FOR FIVE YEARS – YOUR PARTNER HAS TO WAKE UP TO HIMSELF JUDGE DEAN MORZONE