Young father jailed for 27 months for assaulting partner after ‘ugly baby’ comment by relative

A Broome man who assaulted his partner after she refused to punch a relative after they called his baby “ugly” has been jailed for 27 months. Dalton Wungundin appeared before Broome District Court on August 14 charged with one count of aggravated grievous bodily harm from an incident in January. The court was told the 19-year-old became enraged when a 17-year-old relative had disrespected his one-year-old child by swearing and calling the infant ugly. Wungundin’s partner told the relative not to speak to the baby that way, but Wungundin yelled at his partner and urged her to punch the teen relative. After his partner refused to punch the relative and walked away, an argument escalated and Wungundin punched the victim with such force, she heard a popping sound and immediately became short of breath. X-rays showed the victim had suffered two fractured ribs and a punctured lung, requiring a tube to be inserted into her chest after being rushed to hospital. District Court Judge Gary Massey said Wungundin’s actions were a “ridiculous overreaction” and demonstrated a complete lack of self-control. “If someone calls your baby ugly, it certainly doesn’t justify hitting that person,” he said. “It is, quite frankly, ridiculous and perhaps reflects the fact that you were 19 and not very mature it would seem.” The charge came after Wungundin had been previously charged with unlawful assault and thereby did bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation last year on the same victim. Wungundin was handed a conditional suspended prison term, however breached that order as a result of the latest offending. Judge Massey sentenced Wungundin to 27 months imprisonment, backdated to January 30. He will be eligible for parole after serving half the sentence.