Partner, kids suffer horrific abuse Jail time for cruel attack

PUNCHED, kicked, dragged across the floor by her hair, sliced with a knife, bashed with a large torch, headbutted, dumped headfirst into the ground and threatened with death.

This was the three-hour horror endured by a Tablelands woman at the hands of her partner – a man who had already been sentenced seven times for breaching domestic violence orders against her.

Yesterday the 44-year-old, who cannot be named, was jailed for five years for the prolonged and “degrading” attack on both her and their two young children in their isolated Watsonville home last May.

The Cairns District Court heard that during the brutal assault he also threatened to cut out his partner’s recently diagnosed breast cancer with a knife, and made her and the children, aged 12 and 13, line up against a wall while threatening to throw a knife at them. He prevented them going to the toilet, then ordered them to bed as the sun rose, forcing his partner to sleep beside them.

“No life is worth the degrading conduct that you dished out,” Judge Dean Morzone said. “It was prolonged and sustained over three hours. Your conduct was an extreme form of domestic violence.”

The woman and children sobbed in court as details of the abuse inflicted on them were read out.

The court heard money had been tight in the household and the couple had argued the day before the attack.

The result was the woman and children leaving and taking refuge with family members for a night.

They came back the next day, only for him to return late at night drunk and high after having sampled ice for the first time at a party at Mareeba.

“When he returned to the home he flew into a rage which lasted a terrifying three hours,” defence barrister Josh Trevino said.

“He’s deeply ashamed of the way he treated his partner and children.”

Mr Trevino told the court the couple had since split and he had rediscovered God while serving time in jail, mentoring younger prisoners with DV histories.

Judge Morzone said the man would be eligible for parole in November this year but extended a police-imposed protection order for the family until early 2019.

NO LIFE IS WORTH THE DEGRADING CONDUCT THAT YOU DISHED OUT. IT WAS PROLONGED AND SUSTAINED OVER THREE HOURS. YOUR CONDUCT WAS AN EXTREME FORM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE