'She thought she was going to die': Former high school chaplain and gym boss walks free on parole after bashing his girlfriend of 17 years
- Bundaberg gym owner and former school chaplain is guilty of domestic violence
- Tyson Karapa Hepi Tehuia pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm
- The court heard how Tehuia dragged his ex-girlfriend from the bed by her hair
- He then slammed her head into a wall before threatening to kill her
A gym owner, former high school chaplain and father from Bundaberg has escaped jail time after pleading guilty to violently attacking his former girlfriend in front of their child.
The Bundaberg District Court heard how Tyson Karapa Hepi Tehuia, 39, dragged his former girlfriend out of bed by her hair before grabbing her by the throat and smashing her head into a wall in July 2017.
After she fell to the floor from the blow to her head the court heard how Tehuia picked her up and threw her back into the bed.
Gym owner, former high school chaplain and father Tyson Karapa Hepi Tehuia (pictured) escaped jail after pleading guilty to violently attacking his former girlfriend in front of their child
The attack was so severe the woman said she had trouble breathing and her vision became blurred before she started to fear for her life, 7 News reported.
The court heard Tehuia had then threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend.
Share this article
As a result of the attack the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she was left with several bruises and now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.
Tehuia plead guilty to the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The former chaplain now runs a CrossFit gym in Bundaberg and spent two years as the Bundaberg State High School chaplain, the News Mail reported.
The former Bundaberg State High School chaplain (pictured) dragged his former girlfriend out of bed by her hair before grabbing her by the throat and smashing her head into a wall
Defence barrister Steven Kissick argued his client's time as a high school chaplain and now as a gym owner was a sign of his 'worthwhile contribution to the community'.
Meanwhile the crown prosecutor argued the relationship between Tehuia was a 'volatile' one.
'The complainant could not breathe at the time,' Judge Moynihan said.
'You threatened to kill your partner and you smashed her head against the wall a number of times before she fell to the ground.
'You then picked her up and threw her on the bed... she felt pins and needles in her face, suffered blurred vision, and she thought she was going to die.'
Judge Tony Moynihan sentenced Tehuia to 18 months jail but released him immediately on parole.
A 7 News reporter confronted Tehuia outside the court and asked him how he felt about the sentence but he refused to comment.
A 7 News reporter confronted Tehuia outside the court and asked him how he felt about the sentence but he refused to comment
