AimBig HR manager in Toowoomba court for grabbing co-workers buttocks

A high-ranking human resource manager fronted Toowoomba Court for touching a drunk co-worker while she tried to sleep on a couch just metres away from the man’s wife.

Scott Hammermeister pleaded guilty to the common assault of a former employee after the charge was downgraded from sexual assault at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on August 18, 2023.

A former high-ranking human resources manager and current New South Wales government employee pleaded guilty to common assault at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court after he inappropriately touched a co-worker following a company Christmas party in 2022.

When Scott Anthony Hammermeister appeared in court on Friday, August 18, his charge was formally downgraded from sexual assault to common assault following extensive discussions between his legal team and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Police prosecutor Leea Trewin told the court the assault occurred in December 2022 following a large corporate Christmas party hosted by AimBig Employment.

At the time, Hammermeister was the AimBig’s senior human resource manager for regional Queensland – his role was terminated following the assault.

Sergeant Trewin said after the party, Hammermeister, his wife, the victim, and another worker went to the Treasury Casino where they continued to drink.

Scott Hammermeister left the courthouse with his wife who supported him in court.

When the night came to an end, the court heard the married couple invited the young woman to sleep on the couch in their hotel room as her ride home had fallen through.

Sergeant Trewin said the woman was lying on the couch when she heard Hammermeister pick up her handbag and take it into the bedroom where his wife was sleeping.

“A short time later (Hammermeister) was standing over her from the back of the couch… he didn’t say anything but she could hear him breathing,” Sergeant Trewin said.

“She states (he) then touched her on the buttocks before she has slapped his hands away.

“He’s run back into the bedroom without saying anything.”

The woman then called her sister and was picked up, after having to retrieve her handbag from the pair’s bedroom.

Sergeant Trewin said when Hammermeister returned to work, he heard the woman had made a complaint to internal human resources, to which his response was the woman was trying to get money from the business.

Scott Anthony Hammermeister was fined $600 after pleading guilty to assaulting a former co-worker.

The court heard the 49-year-old went to the police station on his own accord and denied the claim, before stating how drunk the woman had been, and he was concerned about how she would get home.

He told officers he had taken the woman’s bag to stop her from driving home, and he and his wife often hosted co-workers after drinking.

Magistrate Louise Shephard asked if the facts were agreed upon by police and lawyers that he did touch the woman’s bottom, but there was no sexual intention, to which both parties agreed.

Barrister Jessica Goldie said her client worked in HR for most of his career and won a number of awards for his work as a HR manager.

“Since then he’s been working… with the New South Wales Department of Communities and Justice as an independent panel assessor,” she said.

“As a result of the finalisation of this matter today, he’s hoping that he will be able to move into a full-time role as a talent acquisition officer with that same department.”

The Toowoomba courthouse. Picture: Peta McEachern

Mrs Goldie noted the father of four had been in a relationship with his wife for 20 years, and that she was in court supporting him.

“He was a regular volunteer with the (Toowoomba Brothers Junior) Rugby Club as well as other sporting organisations but that volunteer work was put on hold when his blue card was suspended,” she added.

“This (incident) is something that can be considered as out of character for him.”

Magistrate Shephard agreed it was out of character and said Hammermeister had suffered the loss of employment following the assault.

“Those letters (submitted on your behalf show) you are a respected and good man,” she said.

She noted Hammermeister entered an early guilty plea, and had no relevant criminal history, before fining him $600.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as AimBig HR manager in Toowoomba court for grabbing co-workers buttocks