Specialist police attached to the Far North District's Domestic and Family Violence High Risk Team identified, tracked down and arrested three priority domestic violence offenders, charging them with a total of more than 40 offences.
Acting Chief Superintendent Chief Hodgman said a team of highly trained officers from the Domestic Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Unit (DFVVPU), plus detectives from the Criminal Investigation Branch and Tactical Crime Squad, along with intel specialists and partner agencies, conducted in-depth investigations to identify high risk priority domestic and family violence offenders resulting in the recent arrests.
On March 4, officers from the Far North District Tactical Crime Squad arrested and charged a 24-year-old Cairns man following several alleged violent assaults involving a woman aged in her 20s, during January.
The man was charged with a total of 19 offences including eight counts of contravening a domestic violence order, six breaches of bail, three counts of common assault and one count each of assault occasioning bodily harm and obstruct police. The man appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court and was remanded in custody to re-appear on March 23.
Far North detectives on February 23 arrested and charged a 26-year-old Cairns with torture and strangulation following four days of alleged violence against a woman aged in her 40s.
The man appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court charged with 20 offences including nine counts of sexual assault, six of assault occasioning bodily harm and three of common assault. He was remanded in custody to re-appear on April 7.
On February 18 Smithfield police arrested a 43-year-old Cairns man after he allegedly threatened extreme violence against police and a woman aged in her 30's that day.
It will be alleged the man threatened to cause a gas explosion at a residence whilst police were in attendance.
He was later charged with contravening a domestic violence order and threatening violence by discharging a firearm or other act.
The man attended the Cairns Magistrates Court and was remanded in custody to re-appear on March 31.
"The Domestic and Family Violence High Risk Team are right now identifying and investigating priority offenders and we're coming for you and we make no apologies for it.
"Let me be perfectly clear - violence in any form is never acceptable and will not be tolerated. Domestic and family violence (DFV), primarily perpetrated against women and children, is abhorrent and has devasting and often lifelong impacts on victims and families.
"It's gutless, it's cowardly and we, as a society, need to step up to help stamp out this scourge in our communities. I urge anyone who sees, hears or witnesses acts of DFV to immediately contact police.
"Officers across the Far North are committed to empowering victims to come forward, to supporting and protecting them and importantly, investigating and charging offenders," A/Chief Superintendent Hodgman said.
The Far North's DFVVPU continues to work tirelessly and collaboratively with internal and external partner agencies.
"The combined assistance from many local and government departments has greatly assisted local police in not only recognising, investigating and prosecuting offenders but also supporting victims and extended family members of those effected.
"Information sharing enables the relentless targeting of perpetrators of domestic and family violence which in turn protects those most vulnerable within our community."
For further information about support agencies you can visit:
- QPS domestic violence support –https://www.police.qld.gov.au/domestic-violence
- Governments Domestic and Family Violence Portal – https://www.qld.gov.au/community/getting-support-health-social-issue/support-victims-abuse/domestic-family-violence
- DV Connect Womensline (1800 811 811) anytime - 24/7
- DV Connect Mensline (1800 600 636) from 9 am - 12 midnight 7 days a week
- Cairns Regional and Domestic Violence Service (07 4033 6100) – https://www.dvcairns.org/
- Sexual Assault Helpline 1800 010 120, from 7.30 am -11.30 pm 7 days a week
How to report domestic violence:
- If it is happening now or an emergency call – Triple Zero '000'
- Policelink on 131 444 any time – 24/7
- If the safest way for you to contact police is online or SMS, then use the online options – https://www.police.qld.gov.au/domestic-violence
- DOWNLOAD APPS to your phone:
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please provide police with as much information as possible. Please give clear details about what is happening, tell us if there are weapons involved and any other information that will help the safety of you and your family and that of our officers.
