November 8, 2012
A man who punched a woman during an argument, causing her to fall to the ground, then kicked and struck her with a “stick-like object”, was sentenced to seven months jail when he appeared in Kingaroy Magistrates Court today.
Mark Daniel Bligh, from Cherbourg, was charged with breaching a domestic violence order.
Police attempted to speak to the victim in Cherbourg Hospital but found her semi-conscious. They observed she had a “whip-like” mark across her shoulder.
The woman was later flown by an emergency helicopter to the Royal Brisbane Hospital for treatment.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Wayne Bushell said Bligh had a lengthy history of domestic violence offences.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall described the attack as “vicious” and at the “high-end of offences of this type”.
He said Bligh had breached domestic violence orders in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. At various times he had been placed on suspended sentences and had served an actual term of imprisonment.
Mr Bucknall said there were also “other significant entries” on his court history.
He noted that Bligh was not being sentenced for assault occasioning bodily harm but there was nothing to stop the court taking into account the circumstances of the breach of the order.
However the maximum penalty that applied to the defendant, because of the timing of his past offences, was one year.
“Had the penalty been two years, I would have intended to deal with this defendant more harshly,” Mr Bucknall said.
He also gave some discount for Bligh pleading guilty.
Mr Bucknall fixed a parole release date of February 2, 2013.
