Billy-Jack Crowley sentenced for sexual, physical assault of woman

A then 37-year-old man who told a woman he would rape her if she did not sleep with him, has been sentenced over the graphic sexual and physical assault from two years ago. WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT

A Gympie court has heard gruesome details of the night a man “betrayed” a woman when he showed up to her house drunk and sexually and physically assaulted her.

Bell’s Bridge man Billy-Jack Crowley, 40, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and common assault when he faced Gympie District Court on Friday.

Crowley had one supporter in the public gallery, and appeared in the dock with both hands in plaster following an operation.

The court heard Billy-Jack Crowley had broken both his wrists falling off a roof, and had surgery earlier in the week.

The court heard the night of terror began late in the night on March 21, 2019, when Crowley, who was 37 at the time, drunkenly arrived on the doorstep of the house of a woman he knew.

Crown Prosecutor Katrina Overell told the court the victim was concerned Crowley was drunk and let him inside, but he began stripping his clothes off and demanding oral sex.

She said no.

“He then went to the bedroom and said if she didn’t give him sex, he would rape her,” Ms Overell said.

The assault continued with details too graphic to describe, with Crowley attempting to dominate her and pressure her into sex.

“The complainant was resisting all attempts at sexual contact,” Ms Overell said.

Billy-Jack Crowley pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one charge of common assault in Gympie District Court on Friday.

The horrific event only stopped when the victim pushed Crowley off her, the court heard.

Crowley then got dressed but was aggressive towards the victim and she called the police out of fear.

Before police arrived, Crowley left the house and walked towards the victim’s elderly neighbours’ house, cursing at her as he left.

As the victim tried to stop him, Crowley punched her twice on either side of her head.

Police arrived shortly after and found Crowley sitting in the lounge room of the house while the victim was taken to hospital.

Crowley’s defence lawyer Ms Loode told the court he suffered from depression and anxiety, and used alcohol to manage his mental health.

She said as a result of this, her client often had blackouts and loss of memory after drinking.

The victim was taken to Gympie Hospital after Billy-Jack Crowley punched her head twice.

This was true during the assault as she said Crowley had limited memory of the night, but accepted what he had done nonetheless.

Judge Vicki Loury told Crowley his offences were serious.

“Your conduct on this night was persistent and entirely unwelcome … and you betrayed (the victim’s) trust by acting in the way you did this night,” she said.

Crowley was sentenced to 12 months behind bars suspended for two years and given two years probation.