A jealous man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after a violent incident where he throttled his partner and slammed her head against a window, leaving a smear of blood. Nicky Gould, 32, should not have been at the woman’s house as he was subject to a restraining order following a previous assault. The court heard that Gould’s aggression was fueled by feelings of insecurity and paranoia, particularly when he had been drinking. Despite the restraining order, Gould was at the woman’s house when an argument erupted between them over a mutual acquaintance, escalating into a physical altercation. He pushed his partner to the floor, choked her, and caused her head to hit a window, leading to a laceration.
The prosecutor revealed that Gould blamed his partner for his actions, accusing her of infidelity before leaving the property with her keys and driving off in her car. The woman sought help from a friend who alerted the police. Gould was later located and arrested by the authorities. In a statement read to the court, the partner described Gould as short-tempered when sober but unpredictable and aggressive when intoxicated. She expressed relief at his arrest, stating her desire to move on with her life.
Gould, previously convicted of assaulting a former partner, pleaded guilty to breaching the restraining order, assault causing actual bodily harm, and taking a vehicle without consent. His defence lawyer acknowledged the inevitability of a custodial sentence and highlighted Gould’s remorse for his actions. The judge condemned Gould’s behaviour as bullying and sentenced him to 16 months in prison, with additional penalties for breaching the restraining order and vehicle theft. Gould will serve at least half of the sentence before being eligible for release on licence.
The court issued a new five-year restraining order against Gould and disqualified him from driving for four months. The judge emphasised that Gould must address his underlying issues to prevent future violent behaviour. The victim’s statement underscored the impact of domestic abuse and highlighted available support services for those affected. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, contact the Live Fear Free helpline for assistance and guidance.