DV survivor confronts 'monster' ex-partner who raped and burned her

A domestic and sexual violence survivor has bravely confronted her attacker in court, labelling him a monster for the damage he had inflicted on her body and her life.

Kellie Franklin stood at the lectern in South Australia's District Court and detailed how her former partner, Joshua Armstrong-Leckstrom, had raped and tormented her during a regime of harm spanning more than six years, between 2018 and 2023.

In her victim impact statement, she outlined the mental and emotional damage, including ongoing night and day terrors, and hyper-vigilance which was "off the charts".

"I will never work again, or walk alone again," she said.

"I would like to see Josh behind bars for the rest of my life, however long that may be.

"I won't let you be the end of my story and when I walk out that door today, I will be striving to be better and happier … to live a less fearful life because the monster you are is behind bars."

Ms Franklin told the court her many injuries included facial fractures, a hematoma in her chest and cigarette burns "so clear on my skin" which remained "a constant reminder of the torture" the 42-year-old inflicted upon her.

She said Armstrong-Leckstrom had instilled such fear, she made the heartbreaking decision to exclude her children from her life in a bid to keep them safe.

Outside court, she said standing up to her abuser and holding him accountable meant "everything".

"Today was me empowering myself and making myself worthy," she said.

"It was the most scariest thing I've ever had to do in my life, but it was worth it.

"He's a monster, an absolute monster."

Attacker punched her cancer injury

She said that she did not want other women "to be broken like me", and that her experience had prompted her to create a free safety app to help other domestic violence victims document their abuse.

"To me, it was more about making an impact in this world, not letting him be my end story, not letting DV be my story," she said.

"I want my story to be me, and making changes for other women and as much as I can, I will."

At trial earlier this year, Armstrong-Leckstrom was found guilty of four counts of rape and two counts of aggravated assault causing harm.

He also pleaded guilty to a further two counts of aggravated assault.

The court heard the abuse occurred while she was also battling cancer and included an instance where Armstrong-Leckstrom punched her at the site of her mastectomy.

A prosecutor told the court other instances of assault included a siege at Ingle Farm in 2018, when STAR Group officers negotiated with Armstrong-Leckstrom and rescued Ms Franklin from a bedroom.

Another incident involved him repeatedly striking her feet with a hammer and a book.

Throughout the hearing, Armstrong-Leckstrom stared at Ms Franklin.

Judge Anthony Allen said that Armstong-Leckstrom, who has been in custody since September 2023, had multiple chances to pause and reflect on his behaviour and "cease and desist" during various earlier stints he had spent behind bars.

"Rather than take that opportunity he has simply returned to almost precisely the form of dreadful behaviour that he found himself in custody for in the first place,"

he said.

Armstrong-Leckstrom returns to court for another pre-sentence hearing next month.