Truckie hit, choked ex

A TRUCK driver choked his ex-partner, took her to a hotel, kept her in a room and assaulted her in an attack described as a “cold display of indifference and disdain”.

Shannon Jay Ryan frightened his former partner so much she wet herself.

The woman did not complain to police until they asked her about injuries when they came to her home looking for Ryan on another matter.

Ryan, 34, (right) pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court on Friday to multiple charges, including choking, deprivation of liberty and assault occasioning bodily harm.

Judge Deborah Holliday sentenced Ryan to three years’ prison with immediate release on parole. He had served 373 days in pre-sentence custody.

Crown prosecutor Lara Soldi said Ryan had been in a relationship with the woman for “not terribly long” before they split.

On August 16 last year Ryan went to the woman’s Gold Coast home and demanded to know who she was sleeping with while they were together.

She refused to answer and they argued for about half an hour.

Ms Soldi said Ryan grabbed her by the throat, picked her up and threw her on the floor.

She hit her head.

Ms Soldi said Ryan took her to a room at the Atrium Resort in Biggera Waters and called out to another woman.

The woman began questioning the victim about why she “broke up two of their friends”.

When she tried to leave the woman pulled her back in.

“(The victim) became so fearful she wet herself,” Ms Soldi said.

That is when Ryan and the woman began to beat the woman.

“He played an active role in committing an assault with another person,” Ms Soldi said.

“It was such a cold display of indifference and disdain.”

The woman was left with multiple cuts and bruises which were still visible on August 19 when police came looking for Ryan.

Defence barrister Sarah Thompson, instructed by Cooper Roper Legal, said Ryan had substance abuse issues and was using the drugs ice and fantasy at the time of the assault.

Ms Thompson said Ryan had moved away from the Gold Coast for a fresh start after recently being given bail.