A District Court docket choose says it was solely luck that saved a girl held at knifepoint and dragged by the streets of Broome by her former companion.
Key factors:
- The Fitzroy Crossing man is jailed for a violent assault on his former companion
- The 48-year-old held the lady at knifepoint and threatened to slit her throat
- Decide says she has an obligation to guard weak ladies locally
WARNING: This story incorporates specific descriptions of home violence
Darryl Nugget has been jailed for 4 years over the March 2020 assault, during which he repeatedly threatened to kill the lady whereas holding a knife to her throat in entrance of a number of youngsters.
Throughout sentencing on Monday, Decide Vicky Stewart and legal professionals agreed the incident might have been a lot worse with out police intervention.
The court docket was informed Nugget, 48, and the lady had a risky relationship marred with alcohol and “petty jealousies”, earlier than an argument erupted between them at their Cable Seashore dwelling.
Nugget and the lady had been consuming for 3 days consecutively when the argument started, inflicting Nugget to kick her within the face earlier than her two nieces intervened and known as police.
Nugget turned enraged when he heard police had been on the way in which and took a 20-centimetre knife from the kitchen and informed the lady he would “slit her throat and kill her”.
He then dragged her by the hair to the entrance of the property and walked her up the road in full view of eight youngsters who had been enjoying outdoors.
In entrance of the kids he repeatedly informed the lady he was going to kill her and walked her within the course of a secluded bush monitor.
Saved by youngsters
In a bid to get away, the lady pleaded with Nugget to let her cease at a close-by park for a drink.
Whereas he agreed, he mentioned if police arrived whereas she was on the park, he would kill her instantly.
In the meantime, the group of youngsters informed attending police the place Nugget had dragged the lady and informed officers about his threats to kill her.
The officers adopted the pair and tried to intervene, however as they obtained close to Nugget dragged the lady from behind and held a knife to her throat.
The court docket heard he was solely prevented from slicing her when the lady in flip threw her arm as much as shield herself.
He nonetheless held her at knifepoint whereas police tried to strategy, inflicting them to tase him on his proper shoulder.
Nugget was later charged with deprivation of liberty, assault and threats to kill.
Solely luck that girl wasn’t killed
The standoff with police was caught on physique digicam, imaginative and prescient that Decide Stewart mentioned had been confronting to look at.
“It should have been a terrifying expertise for the sufferer,” she mentioned.
“It is merely fortuitous that no-one ended up significantly injured.”
Defence lawyer Helen Prince mentioned Nugget himself had struggled to look at the imaginative and prescient, after spending the previous few months in custody regaining his sobriety.
“We’re lucky it wasn’t worse,” Ms Prince mentioned.
Want to guard weak ladies
Ms Prince mentioned it was clear that whereas Nugget had had a secure and glad upbringing together with his grandparents, alcohol and being faraway from his helps and residential in Fitzroy Crossing had meant his behaviour had taken a current flip.
Decide Stewart mentioned the assault on the lady and the menace to her life when confronted by police was “a severe instance of home violence”.
“It was a sustained and violent assault … and it continued even whenever you knew police had been known as,” she mentioned.
“I’ve to guard weak ladies on this group.”
Nugget was sentenced to 4 years and eight months imprisonment however has been made eligible for parole.
