A 48-year-old man has been sentenced to three years behind bars after slashing a woman's face with a sword during an argument at his Canberra home last year.
The ACT Supreme Court today heard police received an anonymous tip-off about a dispute at the man's home and officers arrived to find him holding a sword with a 60-centimetre blade and a woman covered in blood.
The pair had been in a romantic relationship but after it broke down, a family violence order was put in place prohibiting the man from being within 100 metres of the victim.
On the night of the assault, the woman went to the man's home, where an argument developed and escalated.
The man, who was on bail at the time of the offence, told the woman the police had confiscated his gun but "he still had his sword".
He then retrieved the weapon from his bedroom and swung it at the victim's face, hitting her on the chin.
According to the statement of facts, the woman was pleading for her life when officers arrived to the scene and later told them she "would be dead" had they not arrived when they did.
'Permanently scarred'
During sentencing today, Chief Justice Lucy McCallum described the man's actions as "extremely serious".
"The victim suffered two open wounds on her chin, one of which required stitches under local anaesthetic," Chief Justice McCallum said.
"Those wounds will leave her permanently scarred."
The court heard the woman suffered ongoing psychological symptoms due to the traumatic nature of the offence, including post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks and paranoia.
"It involved the use of a highly dangerous weapon, wielded intentionally … to one of the most vulnerable parts of her body," Chief Justice McCallum said.
"The impact on the victim has been grave."
The man, who will face trial on other indictable offences later this year, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and breaching a family violence order.
In court today, he could be seen smiling in the dock as Chief Justice McCallum sentenced him to three years and three months in jail with a non-parole period of two years.
In delivering her sentence, Chief Justice McCallum highlighted the man's violent history and failure to engage with rehabilitation programs previously, saying he "poses a risk to women in the community".
She also acknowledged he had shown no remorse and disagreed with many details contained in the statement of facts, instead directing blame at the victim.
"The person who bares 100 per cent responsibility is the offender," Chief Justice McCallum said.
"Condemnation and accountability must be imposed by the court."
The man has been in custody since his arrest so will be eligible for parole in July next year.