Brendan Howe is pictured in Canberra on Monday
A construction company director who was slapped on the wrist for attacking his very pregnant ex-wife and calling their unborn baby a “c**t” has violated the conditions of his sentence by boarding a plane to Bali, as Daily Mail Australia can reveal.
Brendan Lionel Howe, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges of aggravated assault, two counts of common assault and one count of damaging property during a four-year campaign of abuse against his ex-wife..
The ACT Supreme Court heard he once held her against a wall when she was 34 weeks pregnant and, in front of her little boy, shouted: ‘I rule the roost in this house.’ You should worship the damn ground I walk on. You’re a fucking bitch. You are a stray dog.
‘If you and that little shit inside you can’t see that I’m the boss and when I want to talk about something, I’m going to talk about it and she’ll know it and you’ll know it.’
He also threatened to kill her if she left him.
Howe, who has spent only one night in jail since his arrest, left court last week with a fully suspended seven-month prison sentence, a one-year good behavior bond, an $1,800 fine and 50 hours of community service.
Howe has now been given a formal warning because he traveled to Bali two days after sentencing, in flagrant breach of prison conditions and good behavior orders.
He had been ordered to remain in or near the ACT for a year after sentencing.
It is unclear if he traveled with his new girlfriend, but the court heard she was aware of his offending and provided a reference to the court.
Brendan Howe is pictured during a recent trip to Bali. This week he received a formal warning.
Brendan Howe (pictured) threatened to kill his ex-wife if she left him, a court heard
It is understood Howe traveled to Bali on other occasions between his initial arrest and sentencing, and that he missed supervised visits with his young son last week in favor of his trip abroad.
He declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
His construction business, Homes by Howe, which works on multi-million dollar developments in Canberra, appeared to operate normally during his absence last week.
There were several construction sites surrounded by his company logos, tradesmen were working at different sites, and he was accepting reservations for new clients.
In 2022, Governor General David Hurley was forced to apologize for the “spur of the moment” decision to pose for a photo with Howe at the completion of a private renovation.
Hurley said he had no intention of having his photograph or testimonial used in commercial advertising for Homes by Howe and emphasized that he did not receive any benefits.
Recently sentencing, Judge Louise Taylor said the business had generated “significant income” but he had fallen into debt since the breakdown of his relationship due to legal fees and child support.
Pictured: Brendan Howe (left) with Governor General David Hurley and his wife Linda.
Brendan Howe appears in Canberra on Monday. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-wife.
His ex-wife cried and shook uncontrollably as she gave her victim impact statement last week, telling the court: “I was always the woman who said, ‘I will never be with a man who abuses me.'”
“When you pinned me against our bedroom door at 34 weeks pregnant, in front of (our daughter), time stopped. I couldn’t believe it was happening and that the man I loved, the father of my children, could actually kill me.’
‘I tolerated this behavior for so many years because of how much I loved you and how much it hurt for our family unit. I never wanted any of this. I was also afraid of what you would do if I left. I was afraid you would carry out your threats.
The woman said Howe had continually blamed her for his abuse, saying she deserved it because he made the money and had anger issues, and told the court he never apologized to her.
She pleaded with the court to hold Howe accountable for his actions and the way he ruined her sense of security in the world.
Brendan Howe abused his ex-wife for four years, ACT Supreme Court heard
Brendan Howe’s developments can be seen in Canberra’s inner suburbs (pictured)
Judge Taylor described Howe’s comments about his unborn child as “truly horrific”, acknowledged his wife’s trauma and found that she showed no genuine remorse.
“He’s sad for himself,” she said.
“The perpetration of violence, generally by men against their female partners, is a common occurrence in this jurisdiction and throughout the country.”
He said these types of crimes have “life-altering consequences” and that it is rare that a court-imposed sentence in such a case helps victims simply move on and repair their lives.
However, she discovered that he was motivated to change and had good prospects for rehabilitation.
Howe will appear before the ACT Magistrates Court for a new matter on June 24, during which he will be cross-examined.