27-year-old headbutts partner in bed after cheating accusation

FOLLOWING an argument and an afternoon of drinking in Murgon, a Cloncurry man headbutted his partner and accused her of cheating.

A CLONCURRY man faced Murgon Magistrates Court for headbutting his partner after accusing her of cheating while she was visiting her sick grandfather. Photo: File

A CLONCURRY man faced Murgon Magistrates Court for headbutting his partner after accusing her of cheating while she was visiting her sick grandfather.

The 27-year-old, Drew Ronald Major, was on a trip to Cherbourg to see family when it all went wrong.

Solicitor Leanne McIntosh said on October 29, Major was asked by his partner’s sister if he could drive her and her children to Maryborough.

“Mr Major had agreed to it but the aggrieved didn‘t want Mr Major to do that,” Ms McIntosh said.

“The next day, again the sister asked Mr Major to drive her and her children to Maryborough and again things got tense between Mr Major and the aggrieved.”

Mr Major did walk away at this point but went to the Murgon Hotel and started drinking from 1pm onwards.

Police prosecutor sergeant Pepe Gangemi said just before 8pm that night the aggrieved turned off the air conditioning due to it being too loud.

“While they were lying in bed, the respondent accused her of sleeping with someone else earlier in the day,” sergeant Gangemi said.

“She denied that and said she spent the day with her grandfather.”

Major then headbutted his partner in the forehead, leaving a bruise and proceeding to swear at her.

Major pleaded guilty in Murgon Magistrates Court on November 24 to assaults occasioning bodily harm.

Mr Gangemi said in previous incidents, Major faced court for punching her in the face multiple times and knocking her out.

“This is more serious offending, he has seven previous, this is a headbutt,” he said.

“He was on a suspended sentence which aggravates the offending.”

After being together for 10 years, Ms McIntosh said Major decided to end the relationship.

“It’s not a relationship that he is interested in continuing, it‘s not a good relationship and he is continuing to find himself in difficulty,” she said.

Ms McIntosh said Major had been doing well on parole before coming to Cherbourg.

“The decision to come down to Cherbourg took him out of the supportive environment that he is comfortable in,” she said.

“Mr Major does suffer from unresolved grief issues and has not had proper counselling in relation to dealing with that grief and he would benefit in the future from that kind of support.”

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair took into account Major’s self-awareness surrounding the issue and that Major has already spent 25 days in custody.

“The sentence for the headbutt will be 12 months imprisonment, you’ll also serve one month for breaching the order,” Mr Sinclair said.

“You do need to address both the alcohol problems and the attitude to women which sees you taking things out on them.”

Major will serve four months in prison before being released on parole on March 1, 2021.

Convictions were recorded.

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