Latest news with #JacquiPurton
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Cold-blooded farmer who ran down mother-of-four and left her for dead learns his fate
A man who showed callousness beyond words when he hit and killed his partner with a car has been sentenced to 13 years behind bars. Mother-of-four Jacqui Purton, 37, was trying to leave a property in rural Tasmania on a night in March 2023 when she was struck by a white Holden Commodore driven by James Kenneth Austin. The 40-year-old, who was initially charged with murder, was sentenced on Thursday to 13 years' jail after pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. He will be eligible for parole after serving eight years. Ms Purton was walking down the property's 500m gravel driveway after an argument with Austin, who drove after her. She was struck by the car, which was travelling at 20-30km/h, and dragged underneath, dying rapidly from significant injuries including a broken pelvis. In sentencing in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, Justice Michael Brett said Austin then went back to the house 'leaving her to die'. He returned to the car and put Ms Purton on the back seat before driving back to the house and getting his dad to drive the car down to the road to meet an ambulance. Ms Purton had tried to call police earlier in the evening but couldn't get through because of poor reception in the area. When police called the house soon after the incident, Austin tried to divert them by saying Ms Purton was not there and had gotten a ride home. 'Your actions were cold-blooded, callous and selfish to an extent which is difficult to describe in words,' Justice Brett said. Austin had previously threatened to kill Ms Purton and was controlling and violent in their 'on-and-off-again' relationship spanning four years. There was a family violence order aimed at preventing him from assaulting or abusing her. Austin had previously driven a car at Ms Purton when she tried to leave the property, but she had always managed to jump out of the way. Justice Brett said Austin, whose sentence has been backdated to 2023 when he was taken into custody, did not intend to hit her on the night in question but wanted to frighten her. '(But) she did not (jump out of the way) or could not do so. You did not brake despite seeing her in front of you,' Justice Brett said. Ms Purton has been remembered as a fun, bold and kind free spirit who was dedicated to her children and immediate family. Outside court, Ms Purton's mother Leanne Walford and daughter Shakira Robertson pledged to continue to fight for reform to prevent domestic violence. They said harsher penalties were needed for incidents involving cars being driven by people's current or former partners. Ms Walford said the full extent of domestic violence experienced by her daughter hadn't been revealed in court. 'She was more than a case file. Laws must be tougher because our numbers are going to keep going up,' she said. Justice Brett said Ms Purton's death was a very serious example of manslaughter, family violence and breach of an order.
ABC News
17-06-2025
- ABC News
Tasmanian man James Austin pleads guilty to 2023 manslaughter of Jacqui Purton
A southern Tasmanian man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his ex-girlfriend, mother-of-four Jacqui Purton. On Tuesday, prosecutor Heather Denton told the Supreme Court in Hobart James Kenneth Austin, 40, failed in the use of a motor vehicle to "take reasonable precautions and use reasonable care to avoid danger to human life" by driving the motor vehicle at Ms Purton. Ms Purton, 37, died at a property in Campania, north-east of Hobart. In the early hours of March 13, 2023, emergency services were called to a house on Native Corners Road, after being told a person was seriously injured by a car. Ms Purton was found by first responders, but was pronounced dead at the scene. In April 2023, Austin pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Purton. That charge has now been withdrawn and Austin pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to manslaughter. Relatives of Ms Purton were in court when the plea was entered. Ms Purton's mother yelled out, "hope my daughter haunts you, you scum" as Austin was being led out of the court room by police. Justice Michael Brett remanded Austin in custody. He is due to reappear in court at the end of the month.
ABC News
04-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Fancy frocks and boots on show at gala held for women affected by domestic and family abuse
A gown worn with a pair of Blundstone boots isn't a sight you'd typically expect for a cocktail event. But at a gala held on Saturday night in Hobart, it was a perfect fit. The pairing was just one outfit meeting the dress code at the "Butterflies and Boots" gala ball, an event held specifically for women with lived experience of domestic or family abuse. "Butterflies are about regeneration, regrowth, flourishing," Nicki, the event's co-organiser, and a domestic and family violence support worker, said. The idea for the gala, which included a fashion parade, a Zumba lesson and plenty of dancing, was sparked when Nicki reached out to and met co-organiser Shakira Robertson last year. The conversation quickly turned to Shakira's mother, Jacqui Purton. In March 2023, Ms Purton was fatally hit by a car allegedly being driven by her ex-boyfriend, James Austin. The matter remains before the courts. Mr Austin has pleaded not guilty to murder. With both Nicki and Shakira passionate about advocating against domestic and family violence, the pair knew they wanted to do something empowering for victim-survivors. A gala felt like the right choice. "There's nothing like this," Nicki said. "There's candlelight vigils, and there's rallies, and they're really important, but there's nothing being done that's all about celebrating and joy. "Everyone needs joy in their life. To help the women get ready, a pamper session was held on Saturday afternoon, with gala attendees invited to have their hair, make-up and nails done free of charge by professionals volunteering their time. Dresses were also donated, with women able to select whichever one they felt most beautiful in. For attendee Jessica* there were years in a former abusive relationship where she hadn't "been allowed" to do things like put on nice clothing, and get her hair and make-up done professionally. Since escaping that relationship, she said, she hadn't "felt a reason to, either". Being invited to an event focused on connecting women with shared experiences, and being able to celebrate them while honouring those who have lost their lives, felt like a good opportunity to change that. "There's so much still ongoing, but it's so nice to stop and for somebody else to identify that, 'Hey, this is a great opportunity. Let's celebrate you and what you've done.' Too often, Shakira said, people had a misconception that if a woman left a violent relationship then "they're out, she's fine, we don't have to think about her again". "No. That's the moment where you need to pick them up, give them that big hug and go 'Right, let's go and do something for you.'" She said, at its heart, the gala was about uplifting these women, and building a sense of community. "A lot of women, when they leave an abusive relationship, they feel so dehumanised, and they lose that feminine touch and they feel like they are so worthless," Shakira said. "[It was] just the thought of being able to give these women a chance to dress up … get hair and make-up done, and be able to look at themselves and go 'Wow, that's what I look like underneath.'" Leesah Hotson was among those who volunteered their stylist services for the afternoon's pampering sessions. She said being given the trust of the women to make them look and feel beautiful, and to be in their personal space, was something she didn't take for granted. "It's absolutely brilliant," she said. Moving forwards, Shakira and Nicki are hopeful the gala will become an annual event in Tasmania, with potential for it to expand interstate. *Names have been changed in this story to protect the individual's identities
