Bashed, choked, hit with baton, threatened: Court told of woman’s four-day hell at ‘cruel’ ex-partner’s hands

A woman suffered extreme pain and lost control of her bowels after trying to break up with her abusive boyfriend.

Hayden Andrew Evans pleaded guilty to six offenses before the Brisbane District Court on Monday, all relating to a brutal, sustained attack on a woman at a Marsden property in December 2022.

After the prosecution decided to stay the case on these issues, Evans was released on five counts of rape and one charge of torture.

At sentencing, the court was told the pair had met only months earlier and quickly began a domestic relationship.

However, the woman broke things off on November 30, 2022.

Evans asked the woman to talk after the breakup and she agreed, but became agitated when a message from another man appeared on the victim’s phone.

“He punched her in the head, the force knocked her backwards, she was fading away from consciousness,” Crown prosecutor Emily Coley said.

Evans’ barbaric attacks continued for the next three days.

The next night, after he and his friend called the woman a “slut”, Evans punched her in the head and ribs, causing her to pass out.

Still determined, Evans threatened the woman’s life as he drove away the next day.

Ms Coley said: “He asked her what she should do with it; should she kill it, take it back, or take it to a property and put it in a pit?” he said.

He then punched her in the face multiple times.

“He was ill and was in and out of consciousness because of it,” Ms Coley said.

“He also felt like his right eye was closing at that point.”

While still in the car, Evans struck the woman in the knee with a baton; When she screamed in pain, he slapped her in the face, drawing blood.

The pair returned to their shack property, where Evans took a break from the abuse overnight but it broke out again the next morning.

“He woke up that morning and could feel the injuries on his face,” Ms Coley said.

“The defendant noticed these, made her cry, apologized, gave her Panadol, but still attacked her.

“He picked up the baton again and swung it towards his head… eventually hitting his shin.

“This blow caused him so much pain that he urinated himself.”

He hit her against the temple again, knocking her unconscious.

When she came to, Evans was on top of her and was pushing her towards the bed, wrapping his fingers around her throat.

The victim said he couldn’t breathe because Evans was putting pressure on his throat and he passed out again.

He woke up the same day but pretended to be unconscious until Evans left the property before fleeing on foot to seek help.

The court was told Evans had a history of drug offenses and was on parole and probation at the time of the attacks.

Defense attorney Charles Harris said Evans had struggled with methamphetamine addiction for several years.

“He started using methamphetamine to help him perform at work,” Mr. Harris said.

“What once started as an occasional occurrence turned into an almost daily occurrence at the time of the crimes.

“He has instructed that he is free from drug use since his incarceration (in 2022) … and has expressed to me a strong desire to cease methamphetamine use after such a long period of abstinence.”

Mr Harris said Evans was supported by his family even “in the face of serious allegations” and hoped to continue his FIFO work when he returned to society

Evans’ lawyer argued that his client had been detained for an unfair amount of time due to court delays and had spent more than three years in detention.

“This is an exercise in balancing a fair sentence with what I would describe as a disproportionate period of detention,” Mr Harris said.

Mr Evans was convicted of two counts each of assault occasioning bodily harm in the course of armed and common assault, and one count each of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic relationship.

All charges were classified as domestic violence crimes.

Judge Tony Moynihan KC described the 29-year-old’s behavior as “cruel” and sentenced him to four years in prison, taking into account the time Evans had already served in custody; This sentence was suspended for an operational period of five years.

It was announced that the total detention period of 1174 days was the period during which the sentence was served.

He was also ordered to serve 18 months of community probation with special conditions to comply with any medical, psychiatric or psychological instructions.

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