An Australian man named Baiden Foley narrowly escaped a significant prison sentence for his brutal assaults on his girlfriend after a Magistrate made him promise to behave. Foley pleaded guilty to six charges related to violent attacks on his partner over several days in April, including beating her with his fists and a metal broom, and stabbing her in the face with it. Despite the severity of his actions, Foley was released back into the community after promising to abide by the court’s orders.
The court heard that Foley accused his girlfriend of cheating on him on two occasions in April, leading to severe beatings. During the first incident, he punched her in the face multiple times and beat her with a metal broom. In the second attack, Foley again accused her of infidelity, ignored her protests of innocence, and used the broken broom to stab her in the face. Despite the violent nature of these acts, Foley was released the same day after promising the Magistrate to behave.
Magistrate Donna Webb described Foley’s attacks as “horrendous” and “deeply disturbing,” expressing concerns about his escalating violence despite having a limited criminal record. Foley was given a 12-month community-based order and a fine, with his six-month jail term suspended for the duration. Webb emphasized the seriousness of Foley’s domestic violence and made him promise to comply with the court order during the hearing.