A man who bashed, strangled and stabbed his wife before dragging her unconscious body into the ocean in Darwin has been jailed for 12 years for killing her.

December 16, 2021

A Northern Territory man mercilessly bashed, strangled and stabbed his wife before dragging her unconscious body into the ocean at one of Darwin’s most popular beaches.

The woman, whose name has been withheld at her family’s request, died several hours later on Christmas Eve after a three-hour attack on Darwin’s streets.

Garsek Nawirridj, 40, has been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to reckless manslaughter on December 23, 2019.

His victim suffered brain injuries after being punched and beaten with a rock and a piece of wood.

The 40-year-old woman was also stabbed, stripped and strangled her with her dress.

“Your behaviour was abominable, it is unforgivable. You showed her no mercy,” Justice Jenny Blokland told the NT Supreme Court on Thursday.

“You were prepared to humiliate her.

“This must have been like a form of ongoing torture for the deceased because of time and the pain all involved in the various types of assault.”

CCTV footage shows Nawirridj started his attack on Smith Street in the city’s CBD where he punched his wife and her sister.

“If you help your little sister, I will kill the both of you,” he said, according to Justice Blokland.

Nawirridj then dragged the younger woman by her hair down Mitchell Street to Mindil Beach, into a secluded car park.

Over 25 minutes Nawirridj assaulted the woman causing her to scream and moan.

“Her blood was found later splattered on trees and on the ground,” Justice Blokland said.

Nawirridj then forced his wife towards the beach and continued his attack.

“At some point the deceased lost consciousness due to blunt force trauma to her head,” Justice Blokland said.

Nawirridj, from western Arnhem land, then dragged his wife 70 metres along the beach through shallow water before pulling her onto the shoreline.

After dumping her body in the sand he ran up the beach screaming for help.

Paramedics and police revived the woman as Nawirridj told lie after lie about how she had come to be injured.

“Don’t take her away, it’s Christmas,” he said while crying, according to Justice Blokland.

She died in Royal Darwin Hospital about 12.30am on December 24 from brain injuries after blunt force trauma, with a possibility of drowning.

“This is yet another case of an Aboriginal woman being killed by her partner,” Justice Blokland said.

“All because you have something deeply embedded in your personality that makes you want to control your domestic partners.

“I just wonder how much longer women in and from Aboriginal communities have to put up with behaviour like yours”.

Nawirridj was sentenced to 12 years for killing his wife.

He was given an additional four years for making threats to kill and burning her car with one year of that sentence to be served on top of his head sentence.

He will eligible for parole after serving eight years.

“You do not deserve to walk among us for some time,” Justice Blokland said.