October 16, 2014
A Nanango man with an extensive history of breaching domestic violence orders was sentenced to six months jail in Kingaroy Magistrates Court today.
But Magistrate Simon Young ordered the man, who was being held in custody, be released on immediate parole after reading a “heartfelt letter” from the man’s wife, the target of the violence.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Wayne Bushell said the man had only been out of jail for a few months when the latest incident occurred on Monday this week.
He said the couple had been involved in a relationship for 20 years and the woman was in court to support him today.
Sgt Bushell said that in the latest incident the man had made threats to kill the woman before going to the kitchen and coming back with a black-handled screwdriver which he stabbed into a bed, leaving a hole.
He then pushed the woman who fell into a cupboard, punched her, and pulled her hair. The woman suffered an injury to her right hip and back during the incident.
The man argued that he had begun to seek help for his problems before the latest incident, and that he would not be able to get the same level of support if he was in jail.
Magistrate Young acknowledged the man had started to get help but “by the law” he should go to jail.
“I cannot on behalf of the community show any tolerance or leniency … courts will not tolerate domestic violence,” he said.
However he said he could not see any benefit “to you, to your wife or the community” if he did put him back in jail.
