Muay thai coach, Daniel Lee Grant, 42, sentenced for domestic violence strangulation

A Far North Queensland muay thai gym owner and coach has been sentenced for strangling his ex-partner during an argument over the Facebook profile of their shared gym business.

Former Muay Thai coach Daniel Lee Grant was convicted of strangling his ex-partner after an argument about their joint business. Photo: Facebook.

A Far North Queensland muay thai gym owner and coach has been sentenced for strangling his ex-partner during an argument over the Facebook profile of their shared gym business.

Daniel Lee Grant, now 42, was sentenced on Wednesday on one count of strangulation for the incident which occurred in 2021.

Grant’s sentencing was delayed after he absconded to Victoria leading to a warrant being issued for his arrest and his eventual extradition back to Queensland.

Crown prosecutor Sol Bitjenis told the court the pair were in a relationship for five years which ended shortly before the incident.

“On the evening of the offending, sometime after 10.30pm, the complainant was woken with Grant standing in her bedroom doorway,” Ms Bitjenis said.

“They argued about her deleting his Facebook business page.”

Former Muay Thai coach Daniel Lee Grant was convicted of strangling his ex-partner after an argument about their joint business. Photo: Facebook.

She said the page was reinstated but the pair continued to argue and a struggle began.

“He put both hands around her neck and squeezed her throat with force,” she said.

“As he did this he lifted her up so that she was standing on her toes.

“She could not breathe and she thought she was going to lose consciousness.

“She struggled and scratched the back of his arms in an attempt to stop him from strangling her, it was only then that he let her go.”

Ms Bitjenis said the strangulation lasted around five seconds and caused bruising to her neck.

She told the court Grant had no previous criminal history but some domestic violence history.

“It's a strangulation which is often a marker of escalation in domestic violence offending with the most serious cases ending in homicide,” she said.

Former Muay Thai coach Daniel Lee Grant was convicted of strangling his ex-partner after an argument about their joint business. Photo: Facebook.

Defence Counsel John Seccull told the court the pair were partners in the muay thai business which they ran together in Kuranda moving it to Mareeba.

He said that by deleting the Facebook profile the woman was “effectively deleting the business”.

He said Grant was unaware that a warrant had been issued initially and said he lost contact with police after his phone and identification was stolen.

“He understands his behaviour was unacceptable and he is ashamed and wishes to extend his remorse and sorrow to the complainant,” Mr Seccull said.

Chief Judge Brian Devereaux SC said the delays in sentencing had hindered the victims efforts to move on and heal.

“Your behaviour was disgraceful,” he said.

He sentenced the man to 21 months imprisonment with a parole release date of July 24, 2025 noting 135 days spent in pre-sentence custody.

Originally published as Muay thai coach, Daniel Lee Grant, 42, sentenced for domestic violence strangulation