[imagesource: YouTube / News24]

There’s a special place in hell for domestic abusers. There should also be a special place in jail but that’s not always the case.

Take the infamous recent case of wife beater Jaco Swart, caught on CCTV footage repeatedly physically and verbally abusing Nicoleen Swart.

The footage found its way onto social media – see here with a warning that it makes for very difficult viewing.

South Africa was left shocked and angered when the Pretoria North Magistrates Court sentenced Swart to a R20 000 fine and a three-year prison sentence, suspended for five years, last month.

The video evidence was not admitted to court, despite the best efforts of the prosecutor.

Swart pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with the intention to inflict grievous bodily harm, reports News24.

In a country where gender-based violence is rampant, this is a case which has struck a nerve.

Carte Blanche‘s segment which aired this past Sunday took a long and often hard look at how we reached this point:

Nicoleen Swart endured repeated assaults at her husband’s workplace – some of her horrific attacks caught on CCTV camera. She waited years for her day in court, to bring Jaco Swart to book on charges of domestic abuse. But upon her first day in court, Jaco pleaded guilty and was released with a mere suspended sentence and R20 000 fine.

So, why were the videos never put before court? Carte Blanche tracks the descent of a relationship documented in living colour, uncovering the roots of a man who’s become the face of law enforcement’s failures on gender-based violence.

A petition calling on the NPA to appeal Swart’s sentence currently has just shy of 22 000 signatures.

I imagine those who watched on Sunday would have added their name to that list because wow, this really is a tough watch.

[sources:news24&carteblanche]