World · East Asia & Pacific · 16 hrs ago
Former footballer Shem Tatupu sentenced to 12 years for attack on partner
Former Hawthorn and Melbourne Storm player Shem Tatupu was sentenced to 12 years and two months in prison for attacking his girlfriend.
He pleaded guilty to assault, non-fatal strangulation and intentionally causing serious injury, after initially facing an attempted murder charge.
The court heard he held her captive for nine hours on May 19, 2025, repeatedly strangled her and stabbed her in the head as police arrived.
A piece of the knife remains in her skull because doctors judged that removing it was too risky.
Tatupu will be eligible for parole after nine years, under the sentence handed down by the court.
He was already serving a community correction order for assaulting a previous partner when he attacked her.
The judge said the case involved domestic violence after a woman decided to end a relationship.
Former footballer Shem Tatupu was sentenced to 12 years and two months in prison for attacking his girlfriend.
The court set a non-parole period of nine years.
Tatupu pleaded guilty to common assault, non-fatal strangulation and intentionally causing serious injury.
The court heard he held his girlfriend captive for nine hours, strangled her repeatedly and stabbed her in the head.
The tip of the knife remains lodged in her skull because surgeons judged removing it too risky.
- Who
- Former footballer Shem Tatupu and his girlfriend.
- What
- Tatupu was sentenced to 12 years and two months in prison for attacking her.
- When
- The attack took place on May 19, 2025; he was sentenced on Monday.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- The court heard that Tatupu attacked her after she told him she was leaving because he was too possessive.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Tatupu hid his girlfriend’s keys and phone, then held her captive and attacked her over several hours.
Tatupu was sentenced to 12 years and two months in prison, with a non-parole period of nine years.
- Sentence
- 12 years and two months in prison
- Non-parole period
- 9 years
- Attack date
- May 19, 2025
- Duration heard in court
- 9 hours
- Guilty pleas
- Common assault, non-fatal strangulation and intentionally causing serious injury
What people are saying
confronted with domestic violence in the situation of a woman ending a relationship, only to find the male disrespecting her decision and responding in a totally unacceptable manner
Soon after, you told her she was not going anywhere
I’ve got nothing to lose. I want to go to jail. My mum is better off