AN Australian Idol finalist who could not bear the thought of his wife leaving him and being with another man was yesterday jailed for attacking her.
Marcus Christopher Jones, 24, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to stalking his former wife Leonie Jones at Alexandra Hills on December 1, 2004.
He was originally charged with attempted murder but a plea was accepted to the lesser charge.
Jones was one of the top 40 contestants in the 2003 Australian Idol series. He had planned to audition again this year but had to wait for his case to be resolved.
Crown prosecutor Patrina Clohessey said the couple were living with Mrs Jones's parents on Brisbane's bayside when she told Jones she wanted to separate, and asked him to move out. They had met at a karaoke bar in 2001 and wed in July 2003.
Ms Clohessey said that a week later when Mrs Jones picked her husband up from his work at the Ingham's chicken factory about 10.30pm, he punched her twice in the face and threatened to kill them both.
The court was told Jones said he was going to tie her up and gas them both in the car, before showing her a length of blue rope in his bag. She placated him by saying they still had a future together and convinced him to drive them home.
Ms Clohessey said Jones later chased the 23-year-old woman through her parents' home, grabbed her throat, forced her to the floor and choked her. Mrs Jones' mother and stepfather pulled him away and called police. A murder-suicide note was later found.
In her victim impact statement tendered to the court, Mrs Jones – who was present in court with her parents yesterday – said she suffered depression, had trouble sleeping and her work life had suffered. She also had difficulty trusting men.
Defence barrister Paul Smith said his client was remorseful and the attack had been fuelled by alcohol, immaturity and distress at the failure of his marriage.
He said Jones had moved back to Newcastle, where he was working and pursuing his singing career.
Chief Judge Patsy Wolfe said this was a "humiliating, cowardly and frightening" attack and sentenced Jones to a total of three years' jail, to be suspended after seven months for an operational period of three years. She declared he had already served 179 days in pre-sentence custody, and also made out a 10-year restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with his former wife.
