An air force veteran who fired an arrow into the door of a car with his partner and her mother inside has been released on parole at sentencing.
The 34-year-old man pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Tuesday to choking his partner, then aged 20, as well as assaulting her and causing bodily harm between January 1 and February 15 in 2021.
He also pleaded guilty to pointing a loaded compound bow at his partner's mother's head at a range of 1.5 metres after she attempted to intervene in an altercation on February 16 that year.
He then fired an arrow into the rear passenger door of a car while it was occupied by both women, penetrating a metal panel.
Police also found cannabis and a grinder used for drugs in the man's possession.
Crown prosecutor Alexandra Baker said he had engaged in a "course of cowardly, cruel assaults on his partner" including choking her in a manner that could have resulted in a homicide.
"(He) had her in a chokehold and asked her "do you want to die?'," Ms Baker said.
"He strangled her to a point where her vision started to fade."
Ms Baker said he later armed himself with a "weapon capable of catastrophic harm".
"It was good luck rather than good management that someone wasn't hurt (by the arrow)," Ms Baker said.
He told the court he had previously served as a defence guard operator, a role that can involve protecting RAAF bases and Australian embassies.
His barrister Christopher Duplock said his client had been seeing a psychiatrist for post traumatic stress and depression.
"He told his partner his time in the military made him do things like this. At the time of offending it appears he was experiencing some kind of severe mental health episode," Mr Duplock said.
The man told Judge Ian Dearden that he was deeply sorry for his offending.
"I know I f***ed up and I don't want to do it again," he said.
Judge Dearden said both women were subjected to an "absolutely terrifying experience".
"Sounds like a pretty lousy way to celebrate Valentine's Day ... (your partner) tried to get your attention while you were wearing headphones for a computer game. You then committed assault," Judge Dearden said.
He sentenced the man to four years' imprisonment but noted he had spent 12 months on remand and ordered his release on parole four months early for mental health treatment.
"There's a carrot and a stick ... I'm giving you a very substantial credit but it comes with the stick of parole. If you stuff it up you will go back to jail," Judge Dearden said.
"I will stick with (the rules) Your Honour, I give you my word," the man said.
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