LIST: Every major case from Gympie District Court sittings
The past two weeks of District Court sittings, presided over by Judge Nathan Jarro, saw a myriad of matters brought forward. Here’s a recap of every major case to come before the court in these sittings.
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A woman sobbed and said “it’s all over” after she was found not guilty of 11 child sexual abuse charges in the Gympie District Court this week.
The past two weeks of District Court sittings, presided over by Judge Nathan Jarro, saw a myriad of matters brought forward.
Here’s a recap of every major case to come before the court in these sittings.
Kay Lorraine Menzies guilty of being accessory to armed robbery
A 50-year-old Gympie woman narrowly avoided being jailed on Monday for her role in the “terrifying” armed holdup of two women in 2020.
Kay Lorraine Menzies was supported by a packed gallery of friends and family as she pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including being an accessory after the fact to the robbery, six charges of supplying dangerous drugs, and two summary drugs charges.
20-year-old man pleads guilty to sex crime against girl under 16
A 20-year-old Gympie man will be sentenced in District Court later this month after pleading guilty to having carnal knowledge of a child under 16 years-of-age.
The man, who had been ordered to appear on Monday (July 12) for prerecording of evidence, instead entered his plea to the lone charge shortly after 1pm.
It’s understood the man will be sentenced later this year.
Shannon Walker pleads guilty to armed assault
A 57-year-old Gympie man will be sentenced later this year for assaulting another person with a weapon in July 2020.
Shannon Mark Walker pleaded guilty in Gympie District Court on Monday to unlawful assault causing bodily harm with an instrument.
However, Walker’s sentencing was adjourned until November to allow a psychological report on the 57-year-old to be sought and he was released on bail.
Woman jailed after robbing man as he used an ATM
A young Gympie woman has been given a suspended jail term and told to complete her psychiatric rehabilitation after pleading guilty to robbing a man at an ATM machine three years ago.
Jessie Leena Hames, now 31, appeared via videolink from a rehabilitation facility in the court on Friday (July 16) to be sentenced on a charge of robbery with actual violence stemming from an incident in February 2018.
Hames also pleaded guilty to 16 summary offences including serious assault, possessing a knife in public, public nuisance, obstructing a police officer and breaching bail conditions eight times.
Judge Jarro gave Hames a head sentence of two years’ jail, suspended immediately for the same time frame. He noted Hames had spent 187 in pre-sentence custody.
Gympie meth supplier jailed after selling drug to cop and spitting on his ex’s face
A Gympie region man has been jailed for selling meth to a police officer on the very same day he received a suspended sentence in court, as well as spitting on his ex-partner in an aggravated domestic violence offence.
The 43-year-old man appeared in the District Court dock on Thursday, July 15, to be sentenced on two charges of supplying meth, two charges of contravening a domestic violence order with aggravating features, as well as a summary charge of possessing marijuana.
He had previously pleaded guilty to all charges before the court.
The man was given a head sentence of 20 months’ jail, with his parole release date set for September 3. The court noted the man had spent 133 days in pre-sentence custody between March 4 and July 14.
‘It’s all over’: Woman sobs after being found not guilty of child sex abuse
A woman sobbed and embraced family, saying “it’s all over” after being found not guilty of 11 historical child sexual abuse charges in the Gympie District Court.
The woman, now aged in her thirties, had been accused of two counts of rape and nine counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12, but the jury took just a few hours to reach a unanimous not guilty verdict on all charges by Wednesday (July 21) afternoon.
Noisy neighbour Damien Wemmerslager brandishes bottle in fit of rage
A Gympie region man brandished a beer bottle at his neighbour and later caused more than $3000 in damages by jumping on his car in a fit of rage, a court has heard.
Damien Anthony Wemmerslager, now 42, sat silently in the District Court dock as details of his drunken and violent episode on May 24, in 2020 were detailed on Wednesday afternoon (July 22).
Wemmerslager pleaded guilty to one charge each of burglary with violence while armed, and wilful damage.
He was given one year in jail as a head sentence, suspended immediately for the next two years.
Rapist Anthony Mark Moulden tried to pressure his victim to drop charges
A South Australian man has been jailed until at least October 2022, after he pleaded guilty last week to raping a young woman twice, before trying to force her to drop her charges, in Gympie two years ago.
Anthony Mark Moulden, 39, was 37 when he preyed on the woman after getting drunk with her, her sister and the sister’s de facto partner at a home at The Dawn on May 4, 2019.
Moulden pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice, with Judge Jarro noting he had served some 291 days in pre-sentence custody.
Judge Jarro sentenced Moulden to six years’ jail, with a parole eligibility date set for October 2 next year.
Tearful Gympie man pleads guilty to raping, strangling and assaulting ex
A man wiped away tears as he appeared before Judge Jarro in the court on Friday (July 23) to be arraigned on nine charges from two separate indictments, most of which stemmed from a night of terror on January 16 last year.
The man pleaded guilty to one charge each of rape, stealing, common assault, strangulation in a domestic setting and three charges of assault occasioning bodily harm.
He also pleaded guilty to trying to stop the woman from leaving her house two days later, as well as perverting the course of justice on a separate indictment.
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Judge Jarro adjourned the matter for sentencing on September 13, remanding the man in custody until that date.
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