"…a cowardly and vicious attack on a defenceless woman who should have been able to look to you for protection. You have offered no explanation at all for attacking her, other than that your counsel says you were very drunk at the time. You have a lengthy criminal history, including a conviction for manslaughter in March 1993 for the unlawful killing of your brother and a conviction for unlawfully causing grievous harm in 2005, when you stabbed your then de facto wife. Both of these crimes were committed when you were intoxicated."