The behaviour of a George Town man who punched his pregnant partner because she told him she preferred to have a female friend at the birth was 'appalling and inexcusable', a Supreme Court Judge said.
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Jade Jetson-Scott 27 pleaded guilty last week to two counts of assaulting a pregnant woman and two counts of injuring property on July 28, 2021.
Acting Justice David Porter said the behaviour was made worse by the fact it happened in front of his first child.
"Nothing on the facts persuades me to leniency," he said.
Jetson-Scott's estranged partner was 35 weeks pregnant when they discussed the birth of their second child.
Because of COVID-19 only one person was able to be present.
When Jetson-Scott's partner nominated a female friend it prompted a rant from Jetson-Scott who then punched a hole in the wall in the lounge room and kitchen.
He then punched her in the stomach with his right fist saying he hoped both her and the baby would die.
Acting Justice Porter said Jetson-Scott moved outside and broke a spotlight and then snatched his partner's mobile phone and threw it on the roof of the house.
He then put both hands around her throat and pushed her onto the bonnet of a car.
She told police she was scared and that it felt like Jetson-Scott had his hands around her throat for a really long time.
"Jade called me a dog," she said. He then told her he hoped she fell down when she tried to retrieve her phone.
In a victim impact statement she said that the violence caused her to lack trust and she was incredibly hurt by what he did and said.
In sentencing Acting Justice Porter related Jetson-Scott's lengthy history of offending, particularly family violence dating back to 2017 involving more than one woman.
He had received three actual or suspended jail terms.
The court also heard that Jetson-Scott also had a firearm allegation due to be heard in the Supreme Court and a further breaches of a family violence order.
Acting Justice Porter said Jetson-Scott gave little heed to family violence orders.
An 18 month sentence was backdated to April 1 2023 to take into account time served with a minimum ten months before parole could be applied for.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
