Kimberley man jailed for five years over 'brutal' attack on heavily pregnant woman
Judge Belinda Lonsdale sentenced the man to five years' jail on Thursday at the Broome District Court. (ABC News: Andrew Seabourne)
In short:
A West Australian District Court judge has sentenced a 30-year-old Kimberley man to five years' jail over the 'repeated' attack on his pregnant ex-partner.
The woman was 36 weeks pregnant at the time and was rushed to hospital for an emergency caesarean.
What's next?
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, will be eligible for parole in three years.
A West Australian man has been sentenced to five years' jail over a 'shocking' and 'deliberate' attack on his heavily pregnant former partner, which forced her to have an emergency caesarean.
WARNING: This article contains details some may find distressing.
The assault took place at a Broome petrol station on the evening of January 28, 2025.
On Wednesday, the Broome District Court heard the woman, who was 36 weeks pregnant, had earlier "reunited" with the offender "out of fear".
State Prosecutor Tracy Tan told the court the man instructed the woman, aged in her 20s, to follow him home from the Broome town centre.
She said the pair were at a petrol station on Napier Terrace and the man "flung her to the concrete floor" before repeatedly assaulting her.
The man attacked the pregnant woman 'repeatedly' at a Broome petrol station. (ABC Kimberley: Gareth McKnight)
Two men who witnessed the attack came to her aid, before calling Triple-Zero.
Presiding District Court Judge Belinda Lonsdale heard the woman collapsed on the floor and held her stomach in extreme pain, "knowing something was wrong with her unborn baby".
The woman was taken to hospital and underwent an emergency caesarean.
She also suffered a broken hand and bruising to her head, back and stomach.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, was arrested and charged with unlawful assault that did bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation.
Offender 'coached' woman to drop charge
The court heard while the man was remanded in custody, the offender called the victim more than a dozen times in February.
Broome Police were made aware of the 'numerous' calls after the victim asked to have the charge dropped.
He was subsequently charged with one count of attempting to pervert justice.
The court was read partial quotes from recorded phone calls in which he had "instructed" and "coached" the woman to ring police, his lawyer and attend the police station and courthouse.
Judge hands down sentence for 'brutal attack'
In sentencing on Thursday, Judge Lonsdale said the assault was "on the high end of the scale of seriousness".
"The CCTV footage shows the assault to be a sustained and brutal attack," she said.
"You deliberately kicked [the victim] to her stomach because you were angry and jealous about the baby belonging to another man.
"What you did was very dangerous ... you could have killed her and the baby."
Judge Lonsdale said she accepted the victim's statement that "this was not an isolated incident".
"She would have been very upset and frightened," she said.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victim, was sentenced in the Broome District Court on Thursday. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)
The court heard the man was dealing with a death in his family and the breakdown of a marriage.
However, Judge Lonsdale said despite the man having been "more emotional than usual, this is no excuse".
Judge Lonsdale said it was important the sentence sent "a message to other men who flog their partners".
"They must understand ... they will get a long time in jail and you need to understand this too," she said.
"Also you deserve punishment for what you did, I also must protect [the victim] and other women you may have a relationship with."
The five-year sentenced was backdated to January 28 and the man will be eligible for parole after serving three years.