A Brisbane man who tortured his partner in a brutal spate of attacks has been jailed for seven years.
WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.
Geordan Mercer, 30, was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to torture and drug offences.
A sentencing hearing heard in May 2020, Mercer launched a series of assaults against his partner after he discovered she had been working as an escort.
The court heard this revelation had "made him angry" and for a period of around three weeks, he attacked her at least three times at their Newstead apartment.
These assaults included punching, kicking and choking her, before forcing her to "admit blame" for the injuries on camera, the court heard.
Other assaults included pouring boiling water on her twice, throwing a knife at her and smashing a wine glass over her arm, the court heard.
The court heard she suffered a number of serious injuries including blistering and burns to her chest, torso, arms and genitals, haemorrhages to her eyes, and multiple fractures to her ribs and sternum.
During the three-week period, the court heard although Mercer had not kept her at the home against her will, the woman "felt too scared to leave".
Crown Prosecutor Steven Dickson described the protracted offending as "brutal and deeply concerning".
"There was a diverse array of violence," he said.
Mr Dickson told the court the victim had since moved overseas and was still "too distraught" to write a victim impact statement for the judge.
Mercer's defence lawyer Angus Edwards told the court his client had a "turbulent" and "dysfunctional" childhood but acknowledged his background did not justify his behaviour.
"He recognises that there is no explanation or excuse that he can make for what he did," he said.
Mr Edwards told the court his client had expressed "extreme shame and regret" for his actions and shown "real devotion" to rehabilitation by regularly seeing a psychologist, abstaining from using drugs and completing domestic violence courses.
"He's got more work to do but he has worked hard this far to show that he is insightful and reflective," he said.
When handing down her sentence, Judge Vicky Loury told the court Mercer had set out to "cause severe pain and suffering".
"Your conduct was designed to hurt and humiliate a woman who you apparently loved," she said.
"Your conduct would have no doubt been terrifying for her."
Judge Loury took into consideration Mercer's prospects of rehabilitation and early guilty plea and sentenced him to seven years in jail.
Mercer, who was on bail, was taken into custody from the dock.
He will be eligible for parole after serving two years and four months.
