A man has been sentenced to 14-years jail for violence against a former partner.
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A 34-year-old man (whose name and address have been withheld to protect the identity of the victim) was found guilty of reckless grievous bodily harm, two counts of reckless wounding, using an offensive weapon to commit an indictable offence, three counts of assault, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentionally choking someone with recklessness by a jury on March 6, 2020.
The man appeared before Goulburn District Court from custody via Audio Visual Link on November 6 for sentencing.
Judge Julia Baly presented the specifics of the case to the court.
Judge Baly said the victim met the man in 2016. She said he became aggressive and violent towards the victim and would "hit, kick and strangle" her on a daily basis.
The judge described one incident where the man assaulted the victim, who was three to four months pregnant at the time, and jumped on her back which resulted in the loss of the baby. She said he blamed the victim for the miscarriage. Another time the man punched the victim in the face, breaking her jaw.
The court heard from Judge Baly that on Christmas Day in 2016 the man grabbed the victim's neck and squeezed until she blacked out. She said that when the victim woke up he then choked her with an extension cord, tied her up, and tried to electrocute her.
Judge Baly outlined another instance where the victim awoke to find the accused holding a knife. She said he then stabbed the victim in the leg, bound her so she couldn't move and forced her to sleep on the floor so she "didn't get blood on the mattress".
The judge stated to the court that he had also burnt the victim on the chest three times with a cigarette while she sat on the toilet. The judge said this act could only be described as "gratuitously cruel".
In the Victim Impact Statement which was read aloud to the court, the victim said: "Never in my life would I have thought the day I met you was the day I threw away the happy independent woman I was".
The judge said "while [the victim] did not use the word survivor, she clearly is".
"He was manipulative and blamed her for his violence.
"The evidence and control exhibited was extreme. It is shocking."
Judge Baly said the victim's mother had given evidence to the court that "she did not even recognise her own daughter" because of the injuries inflicted by the man.
Barrister Stanton spoke in defense of his client. He said a psychiatric report had revealed that his client had "issues with [his] psychological make up requiring treatment".
Judge Baly did "not accept any of the conditions [were] causative" and said the man had "shown no remorse".
Mr Stanton said his client had a troubled background and lacked support. He urged the judge not to make him "a vehicle for general deterrence".
Mr Stanton said the accused had been remanded to custody since January 12, 2017.
Judge Baly took this into account and said the almost four year delay was "appalling".
The man was sentenced to 14 years jail with a non-parole period of 10 years and six months.
