William Lawrence Row Row on meth, drunk whiskey and assaulted Allenstown man

He was on no drugs or alcohol bail conditions at the time of the attack and took a swig from a can in front of police.

Methamphetamine generic

A father-of-three high on methamphetamines and drunk on premix whiskey terrorised a man in his unit when he threw a glass bottle of alcohol at his security screen door, followed by a knife and then struck a wooden door with a garden tool, a court heard.

William Lawrence Row Row, 40, was on no drugs or alcohol bail conditions at the time of the attack at a Fitzroy Street, Allenstown, address on New Year’s Day, police prosecutor Mirren Smith told Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 2.

Ms Smith said the glass bottle smashed when it hit the door and the victim had to step back to avoid being struck by the fragments of glass and alcohol.

“The knife struck the lower part of the screen door,” she said.

“The defendant took a hammer like tool with two pitch hooks at the end of the handle, known as a multi hoe, and struck the rear wooden door of the unit, causing a minor chip to the timber just above the door handle.”

Row Row also gained access to an unlocked vehicle parked in the communal area of the unit blocks without permission of the owner and took something from inside.

“While police were speaking with the defendant in relation to the current matters, police observed him to be drinking from a can of whiskey pre-mix,” Ms Smith said.

“When questioned, the defendant said that he had consumed about 40 to 50 units of methamphetamine and that he had consumed the illicit substance about 9pm (New Years Eve).”

She said Row Row had a 13-page criminal record and had just finished a probation period on January 2.

Defence lawyer Pierre Lammersdorf said Row Row has a significant injury to his right hand and he receives the jobseeker benefit from Centrelink.

He said his client’s children were aged 12 to 18.

Row Row pleaded guilty to one count each of common assault, wilful damage, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and breach of bail.

He was sentenced to five months’ prison, wholly suspended and operational for 15 months.

Row Row was also ordered to pay $900 in fines and convictions were recorded.

He was granted bail on his outstanding matters which are next to be mentioned in Blackwater Magistrates Court on January 23.