'Violence against women will not be tolerated': Tailem Bend man jailed over domestic abuse
The judge said he accepts the defendant's remorse but that such acts "must be denounced by the court".
A 52-year-old man from Tailem Bend has been convicted for acts of domestic violence against his wife.
The man pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated causing harm with intent to cause harm and one count of aggravated threatening to cause harm.
He committed the offences against his wife at their home at Tailem Bend on November 15.
He hit his wife a total of four times with a wooden bat she had originally taken up to protect herself against him.
She suffered lacerations on her temple and the top of her head, requiring 13 stitches overall, pain on her left shin, and a fractured arm from attempting to block one of the blows.
Judge Paul Muscat had listened to an audio recording of the fight, taken by the wife on her phone.
It captured the man threatening to kill his wife while hitting her with the bat, saying he had “nothing to lose”.
Judge Muscat said he “accepted (the offender’s) contrition and remorse” in his apology but insisted there was no room for domestic violence in the community.
“Violence against women will not be tolerated,” he said.
“This type of serious violence is repugnant and rightly condemned by the society we are all part of.
“Such acts of domestic violence must be strongly denounced by the court and perpetrators of such violence held to account.”
The court heard that the man had a history of domestic violence against his wife.
She said she had not reported her husband previously because she felt “stuck in the relationship” and was intimidated by him.
“Your past abusive treatment of your wife remains a relevant sentencing consideration,” Judge Muscat said.
“It demonstrates that the two offences you have admitted committing were not isolated instances of violent or threatening conduct on your part.”
He then went on to say that in punishing domestic violence perpetrators, the courts intended to send a clear message.
“Men must know that if they assault or threaten to assault their partners then they will be punished in order to deter them and others from behaving like that,” he said.
“Indeed, the primary purpose of sentencing is to protect the safety of the community and what you did to your wife that night speaks of the need for that protection.”
He sentenced the perpetrator to three years and three months in prison with a non-parole period of one year and 10 months.
- Get help: Visit the Haven at Murray Bridge Community Centre between 10am and 2pm on weekdays, or the DVINA Centre on Standen Street, Murray Bridge between 10am and 4pm on weekdays; call the Domestic Violence Crisis Line on 1800 800 098, or Murray Mallee Adelaide Hills Domestic Violence Service on 8215 6320; or, in an emergency, dial 000.
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