A man who murdered his partner after she tried to hide in a bathroom has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison.
Manthana Khantharat hid in a bathroom in an attempt to escape an intense and fatal attack by her jealous and controlling boyfriend, a court has heard.
The 37-year-old woman’s killer, Natthawut Tammajanta, was sentenced on Wednesday to up to 23 years and four months in jail after pleading guilty to her murder.
The couple, both originally from Thailand, met while working at the Siam Kingdom restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Newington and began a relationship.
But after an argument on December 18, 2022, Tammajanta assaulted Ms Khantharat at her home in Albion Park Rail, south of Wollongong, so severely that she died.
The attack included strangulation and repeated blows to the face and body.
In her sentencing remarks, Judge Natalie Adams said police who arrived at the scene observed Tammajanta’s hands were lacerated and swollen from his repeated assaults on Ms Khantharat.
“At one point the deceased had locked herself in the bathroom to escape the assault but the attacker was able to break down the door to continue his attack,” he told the NSW Supreme Court.
Tammajanta described himself as a “jealous person” who felt insecure in the relationship and suspected his partner was dishonest or too close to other men.
Manthana Khantharat (pictured) hid in a bathroom in an attempt to escape an intense and fatal attack by her jealous and controlling boyfriend, a court has heard.
“The deceased was murdered in her own home by her partner,” Judge Adams said.
‘The dominant feature of the relatively short relationship was the perpetrator’s intense, irrational jealousy and desire to control the deceased’s behaviour.’
The court had earlier heard from Ms Khantharat’s younger sister, Rudeemas Khuntaras, who spoke on behalf of the family.
“The sudden death has been devastating,” Ms Khuntaras told the court, the paper reported. Illawarra Star.
‘She was a very important part of our lives. We are all struggling with intense grief and her passing.
“She was the oldest of three sisters, she was an exceptional sister and she was a guardian who provided protection for us.”
The 37-year-old woman’s killer, Natthawut Tammajanta, was sentenced on Wednesday to up to 23 years and four months in jail after pleading guilty to her murder.
Ms Khuntaras spoke of the life-changing pain she felt after police informed her of the discovery of her sister’s body.
“I couldn’t understand what had happened,” he said.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I had to call my mother in Thailand and tell her that her daughter had died.
“I was crying every day for months… we miss her every day and I don’t think that feeling will ever go away.”
Tammajanta was sentenced to 16 years and four months without parole.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
