Traumatised man fractures partner’s spine

Laine Clark | April 21, 2022

A Queensland man traumatised by a home invasion choked and kicked his partner so hard she suffered a spine fracture, telling her: “You need to die”.

However, the woman threw her support behind the 36-year-old when he appeared in Brisbane District Court on Thursday, even suggesting a choking offence didn’t occur.

The man – who can’t be named – launched a “vicious attack” when the home invasion was mentioned by his partner after they returned to their Fortitude Valley apartment following a night out in October 2020.

The man punched a hole in the wall and began throwing and breaking things in the apartment, yelling: “I can’t protect you, I can’t protect me”.

He threw, dragged and kicked her before twice choking her, saying: “You need to die”.

She lost consciousness each time she was choked, at one stage finding him standing over her saying: “How would you like it if I took everything away from you – how would you like it if I threw your dog off the balcony?”.

She screamed for help while cowering in the apartment holding their dog before a neighbour called police.

The woman was diagnosed with a string of injuries including hearing loss as well as rib and spine fractures, spending the night in hospital.

However, she appeared in court on Thursday in support, even providing a reference saying the attack was the “result of past trauma”.

The reference said she could “see the fear and pain in his eyes” since the home invasion and was “someone who needs help”.

They had been in a “loving, supportive relationship” for two years and she was shocked by his “out of character, bizarre” attack, the reference said.

The woman also told the crown prosecutor this week that the second choking incident may not have occurred, defence barrister Scott Neaves said.

“She had no recollection,” he said.

In a victim impact statement, the man said he had been drinking heavily after a “feeling of hopelessness and heavy social anxiety” since the home invasion.

“In no way … does it make his conduct forgivable … it might provide some insight into how a man who had otherwise been a meaningful participant in society … has involved himself in this incident,” Mr Neaves said.

Judge Michael Williamson said there was an inference from a psychologist’s report that residual trauma from the home invasion had led to the man suffering PTSD but “it wasn’t a very strong one”.

He believed the attack instead had “the hallmarks of a heavy day on the alcohol”.

Mr Neaves said the man had taken significant steps toward rehabilitation since being released from four months in custody in February 2021.

He pleaded guilty to all four domestic violence charges including assault occasioning bodily harm and two counts of choking.

He will be sentenced on April 29.

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