Geraldton man Sharrack Kevin Errol Councillor jailed after ‘one punch’ shatters girlfriend’s jaw

A man who broke his girlfriend’s jaw in an act of “self-defence” after a heated argument last year is now behind bars. Sharrack Kevin Errol Councillor appeared on Monday in Geraldton District Court, where he pleaded guilty to aggravated grievous bodily harm. The court heard Councillor and his ex-partner had been in a “tumultuous” relationship “on and off” for about 12 months before the incident on December 16. Councillor confronted the then-23-year-old woman after he spotted her in a car with several men, including one of his best mates. The pair argued and the woman struck Councillor in the face twice before he threw a punch that shattered her jaw. Defence counsel Xavier Sellathambu said Councillor had offered to take the woman to hospital for, but she had an arrest warrant against her and was fearful of being taken into custody. She received medical treatment when she was later apprehended by police, with four metal plates and 12 screws required to repair her jaw. MORE NEWS Mr Sellathambu said Councillor had vivid memories of his mother being beaten by his father, and recognised he was in a position to “break the cycle” of domestic violence. He said Councillor struck his partner “with the intention of stopping her from hitting him”, but conceded the level of force used was “not necessary or reasonable”. Judge Christopher Stevenson said that the woman hit Councillor first was no justification for his actions, which could have been fatal. “One blow has killed countless people in the past,” he said. “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” He sentenced Councillor to 18 months jail and made him eligible for parole.