There were tears of relief from a victim of domestic violence in court this week, when the man who poured fuel on her and threatened to set her alight was sent to jail for three years.
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Daniel Morgan, 48, will spend a minimum of two years in custody before he can be released.
Magistrate Mary-Anne MacCallum told Wangaratta Magistrates Court that Morgan instilled "terror" in his former partner in four parts during the incident on May 3.
First he sent her text messages telling her to "do what you can to protect yourself", then he arrived at their Wangaratta business where he slammed her head into the concrete floor and held her down with his thumb around her throat, and threatened to kill her.
Finally, Morgan poured the fuel onto her hair and held a lighter 10 centimetres from her thigh.
"The dousing of fuel is one of the most serious examples of this type of offence," Ms MacCallum said.
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She rejected the defence argument that diesel fuel is harder to light, saying the move was "designed to paralyse the victim with fear for her life".
The victim was in court to hear the sentence and became emotional as details of the traumatic domestic violence incident were read aloud.
Morgan, who pleaded pleaded guilty to four charges related to the attack at the pair's business on Osboldstone Road, appeared via video link from custody.
The court heard he had previously been convicted of rape, which Ms MacCallum said showed he had a propensity for extreme violence towards women.
Psychological reports found he had a personality disorder with narcissistic features, plus depression and anxiety, which had made it difficult to cope with the 156 days he has spent in custody so far.
But Ms MacCallum said Morgan also drank alcohol and took valium on the day, which contributed to his poor impulse control.
She also rejected the defence argument that Morgan's business would suffer while he was in custody.
"The business losses that you will suffer are a direct result of your actions," she said.
"The responsibility for those losses lie with you alone."
