Joshua Matthew Allinson sentenced at Gladstone for assaulting woman

A Central Queensland man assaulted his partner and threw her mobile phone on the road because she was using electricity she didn’t pay for, a court has heard.

Joshua Matthew Allinson was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone on February 6.

A Central Queensland man who assaulted his partner after refusing to let her use electricity she didn’t pay for, has been sentenced in court.

Joshua Matthew Allinson, 33, was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone this week after pleading guilty to common assault and wilful damage (domestic violence offences).

The court heard Allinson had been in a relationship with the female victim for about a month, when on June 4 last year, the offending happened.

After Allinson got out of bed that morning, the pair got into an argument and he told her that she couldn’t use the electricity to charge her laptop because she didn’t pay for it.

The woman kept trying to plug her laptop in but Allinson kept unplugging it.

She then unplugged Allinson’s computer and he reacted by grabbing her, throwing her onto a couch, and holding her throat with one hand.

The court heard that Allinson held the woman’s throat for about four seconds.

A short time later, the pair got into a scuffle and Allinson grabbed the woman’s mobile phone and threw it onto the road, which smashed its screen.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The court was told that Allinson only had one entry on his criminal history and that was a domestic violence offence for which no conviction was recorded.

In relation to this incident, Judge Craig Chowdhury said it was a “pretty trivial” reason to get into an argument.

“The cost of electricity for charging a computer wouldn’t have been that much,” he said.

“You’re very lucky you’re not charged with a more serious offence.”

Defence barrister Scott Moon made a submission that no conviction be recorded.

Mr Moon said while Allinson was currently employed, he did wish to pursue other work in the mining industry, and the recording of a conviction could jeopardise his future employment.

Judge Chowdhury noted that Allinson had spent 23 days in pre-sentence custody.

He sentenced Allinson to three months’ jail, suspended after serving 23 days, for an operational period of three months.

Judge Chowdhury recorded a conviction.