Samuel James Lawson: Mans chilling threat to woman during violent bashing

WARNING: Distressing content

A woman was repeatedly bashed, punched and kicked – vomiting twice due to the severity of the assaults – before her abuser grabbed a knife and said “I don‘t want to get blood all over the carpet when I kill you”, a court has been told.

The chilling threats Samuel James Lawson made to the victim during his horrifying rampage can be revealed after the 33-year-old was sent to jail by a District Court judge this week.

Some included threatening to cut her finger off, sitting on top of her – causing her to struggle to breathe – and repeatedly threatening to kill her over the ordeal.

“It was a prolonged attack, involving separate episodes of violence over several hours,” Crown prosecutor James Bishop told the court on Wednesday.

Lawson was initially facing a raft of serious offences, including torture.

Those charges were discontinued when an addendum statement was received from the complainant, resulting in Lawson entering pleas of guilty to five counts of common assault and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.

With time already served since his arrest, Lawson will be released on parole within a week.

Brisbane District Court was told the violent attacks unfolded in the woman’s home on May 4 that year.

At midnight, Lawson banged on her back door demanding to see her phone and know if she had been seeing “other men”.

As she went into the bedroom to get away from him, Lawson slapped her, causing her to fall onto the bed.

“He sat on her legs on the bed, told her if she didn’t tell him the truth he would punch her,” Mr Bishop said.

The court was told Lawson counted to three and then punched the woman in the head and chin.

“She put her hands up to protect her face,” Mr Bishop continued.

“He threatened to hit her harder if she didn’t move her hands.”

Lawson continued to throw punches at the woman until he retrieved her phone, looking through the woman’s messages and accusing her of deleting messages.

He was still at the house hours later when he punched her in the ribs, Mr Bishop said.

“She fell onto the bed … (Lawson) sat on her chest, causing her to struggle to breathe,” he told the court.

When she told Lawson to get off her he replied: “I don’t care if you piss yourself.”

As the woman vomited, Lawson threw more punches before smashing her head against a bathroom tile, causing her to bleed from the ear.

Mr Bishop said he demanded she get in the shower and wash the blood off.

The court was told Lawson said: “Look at your face, look at your head. I’m f--ked, I’m going back to jail. I might as well kill you. You’re going to die in this bathroom tonight.”

About 4.30am, Lawson approached the woman with a kitchen knife and demanded she get back into the shower.

When she asked why, he said: “Because I don’t want to get blood all over the carpet when I kill you.”

Mr Bishop said Lawson threatened to cut her finger off as she cried and begged not to go back to the bedroom.

He later forced her onto the bed and said she couldn’t leave.

Mr Bishop said the woman refused and ultimately left for her mother’s house, where she phoned police and then went to hospital.

“She suffered bruising and swelling around both eyes, superficial lacerations to the outside of her ear canal, multiple facial bruises, bruising to the chest wall, abdomen and upper left thigh,” he told the court.

“This is not a case or a situation involving a momentary loss of control involving a single act of violence.

“It was a prolonged attack, involving separate episodes of violence over several hours, including concerning threats.”

The court was told Lawson – who had experience as a carpenter and concreter – had otherwise been a “good father” who tried to provide for his family.

Emotional strain from the breakdown of his eight-year relationship and financial strain had dominated his life in the lead-up to the assault, defence barrister Stephen Zillman said.

“My instructions are … (Lawson) was invited to the home on that particular night,” he told the court.

“Thereafter of course there is no excuse available for his subsequent behaviours.”

Chief judge Brian Devereaux ultimately sentenced Lawson to 15 months’ jail for the assault occasioning actual bodily harm charge.

For each of the common assault charges he was sentenced to four months’ jail.

Judge Devereaux ordered the terms of imprisonment be served concurrently.

Lawson’s 141 days spent in pre-sentence custody on remand was declared as time served.

His parole release date was fixed at February 18.

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