TWO warring lovers have been banned from every licensed pub and club in the state in a bid to stop their violence against each other.
Gladstone magistrate Mark Morrow sentenced the couple to four months jail for contravention of domestic violence orders.
Given parole, they were ordered to attend relationship counselling.
"You can't get drunk and bash each other," Mr Morrow told the sheepish pair, as they stood before him in the courtroom.
"Did he bash you, punch you?," Mr Morrow asked the woman. "Just once," she said.
"Did he kick you?," he asked. "I'd fallen down the stairs," she said.
Mr Morrow inquired why her partner would punch her.
"I'm not sure. I was pretty drunk, he was very drunk," she said.
"He would have drunk eight litres I reckon."
The pair pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to contravention of domestic violence orders they had against each other.
Mr Morrow said they had to stop drinking and bashing each other.
"If you do have a relationship then you have got to stop drinking as that causes you to go and be violent towards each other," Mr Morrow said.
"Bashing you means he goes to jail. Even if you are drunk that is no excuse. I can help you.
"I can ban you from every hotel, licensed premises in Queensland. Something that seems appropriate to both.
"Alternatively I can split the relationship by sending one of you to jail so the violence doesn't continue."
Defence lawyer Jun Pepito said the couple had nothing much to do in their home town, "so they drink and beat the hell out of each other".
Mr Morrow said the hotel ban would stay in place for as long as the domestic violence orders were in place.
"If they want to live together they don't drink and must go to a relationship counsellor," Mr Morrow said.
"You have put yourselves in this predicament. It's in your hands now.
"You can either work your relationship out or separate."
Source: Gladstone Observer
