A cocaine trafficker who beat his partner so viciously she later cried blood has been locked up until the end of the decade.
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Police arrived at the Deakin home of David Anthony O'Brien, 52, in August 2012 to find the woman’s blood splashed on the ceiling and wall.
A police search uncovered almost a kilogram of cocaine and $40,000 in cash under his neighbour's home.
O’Brien was sentenced to almost 13 years jail in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday on charges of unlawful confinement, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, drug trafficking, and dealing in the proceeds of crime.
He will be eligible for release in December 2020.
The court heard O’Brien and his partner had returned home from a party early on a Sunday morning when he became angry and punched her in the face.
He then dragged her by her hair into the bedroom and repeatedly struck her.
The violence continued for about two hours, with O'Brien beating the woman until she nearly lost consciousness, allowing her to recover, and then assaulting her again.
She pleaded for medical help, but he instead drugged her and kept her hostage for 24 hours. At one stage, she attempted to flee but he dragged her back into the house and assaulted her again.
He finally took her to Calvary Hospital on the Monday and told her to lie to explain her injuries. But she confided in medical staff who called police. A nurse reported seeing the woman cry blood.
Police raided O'Brien's home and car and discovered almost $45,000 in cash and 931 grams of the drug. Analysis showed 342 grams of it was pure.
The haul was described in court as the biggest single seizure of cocaine in the ACT’s history, worth between $279,000 to $325,000 on Canberra's streets.
Messages on his mobile phone also discussed the sale and purchase of drugs.
The court heard O’Brien had not lodged a tax return since 2005 and had received Centrelink payments between 2005 and 2011.
O’Brien had earned money running a business selling cocaine – mostly to friends and acquaintances – for nearly two-and-a-half years.
Justice John Burns was also asked to take into account charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice and for perjury in sentencing.
The court heard O’Brien called the woman from Canberra jail twice and tried to convince her not to give evidence against him.
Justice Burns jailed O’Brien for 12 years and 11 months, with a non-parole period of eight years and four months.
“These offences reveal a pattern of sustained serious criminal offending extending over a number of years,” Justice Burns said on Thursday.
“You have demonstrated a pattern of dishonesty and deceit in your approach to these charges quite inconsistent with any remorse on your part.
“At the present time, you do not have strong prospects for rehabilitation, but I acknowledge that may change over the period you will be required to spend in prison.”
