A bipolar alcoholic who went on a violent rampage and sent racist text messages to an acquaintance after falling off the wagon has been for jailed three-and-a-half years.
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Nikki Parkinson, 38, was on Wednesday sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court after pleading guilty to charges of endangering human life, endangering human health, using a carriage service in a menacing and offensive manner, property damage and assault.
The court heard Parkinson committed the offences after he stopped taking his anti-depressant medication and began drinking after 16 months of sobriety.
He was arrested after he attacked his partner with a makeshift mace and poured turpentine in her eyes in February last year.
The rampage began when Parkinson's partner tried to stop him driving to the Waramanga shops to steal alcohol.
He pushed her down the stairs and threw a bin at her, before producing a hand-made weapon, fashioned from a metal pole, with protruding bolts.
The Waramanga man smashed the weapon into the car several times, forcing the woman to move her head to avoid being struck.
He then forced her to the ground and poured turpentine on her face, causing temporary blindness, and threatened to set her on fire.
The attack came weeks after the father-of-three texted racist messages to an Aboriginal woman he knew through a community support group.
Parkinson sent the victim a number of messages over a week, some of which featured racist taunts and included pictures of a swastika.
Parkinson sent an apology to the woman for the “disgraceful” initial messages, but then sent more only days later.
Justice Hilary Penfold accepted the texts were not racially motivated, despite their content.
The judge noted Parkinson had an abusive childhood, began using alcohol and illicit drugs as a teenager and had a criminal history, which included traffic, violence and weapons charges.
The court heard that at age 30 he used amphetamines daily and drank 18 standard drinks on a week day.
She said Parkinson had completed rehabilitation programs while in jail and was considered a cooperative prisoner.
Justice Penfold sentenced Parkinson to three years and six months jail, backdated to take into account time spent in custody, with a non-parole period of 20 months.
He will be eligible for parole in December this year.
