Neighbourhood row over loud music, whip-cracking ends with a fractured jaw

A man who stormed on to his neighbour’s property to protest about loud music and whip-cracking has faced court after the dispute ended with him breaking another man’s jaw.

A man who fractured a neighbour’s visitor’s jaw with one punch, after losing his temper over loud music and whip-cracking noises coming from next door, has been given a jail sentence.

David Alec Stallwood, who initially threatened the other man with a tree branch, was immediately released on parole on Monday, but ordered to pay the victim $5000 compensation.

Stallwood, 27, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Monday to grievous bodily harm and wilful damage offences.

Crown prosecutor Siobhan Harrison said on February 20 last year, Stallwood had an altercation with Wynnum West neighbours, yelling and swearing at them about their loud music.

Stallwood asked those at the neighbouring house to turn down the music, but instead someone started cracking a stock whip, the court heard.

David Alec Stallwood asked those at a neighbouring house to turn down loud music, but instead someone started cracking a stock whip, the court heard. Picture: File image

The judge said there was some provocative behaviour by the victim, who was visiting the neighbours.

“It was 8pm, you had two young children at home. It was in that context that you became obviously angry,” Judge Vicki Loury said to Stallwood.

But she said Stallwood had taken matters into his own hands, going to the other property with a tree branch, using it to hit the neighbour’s fence, causing damage.

Crown prosecutor Siobhan Harrison said after Stallwood yelled “come at me”, he was told to leave the property, but instead he walked up the driveway, threatening to belt the victim.

After dropping the tree branch, Stallwood took up a fighting stance and punched the victim in his jaw, breaking it, the court heard.

The victim, who fell to the ground hitting the back of his head, required surgery and was left with plates and screws in his jaw.

The court heard Stallwood previously had problems with alcohol and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and was mistreated as a child.

But the father of two children, aged one and three, had given up alcohol, he ran his own tiling business and worked for Brisbane City Council as a supervisor at night.

Judge Loury said Stallwood needed to develop better anger-management skills.

She said the injury was inflicted with only one single blow, but it was a significant one, requiring surgery.

Judge Loury said she would give Stallwood, who had previous convictions for violent offences, one last chance, but he was “on a precipice’’.

“You hit another person ever again and you will go to jail,’’ she said.

Stallwood was sentenced to 18 months’ jail, with immediate release on parole, and was convicted but not punished for the wilful damage offence.

He was given two months to pay the compensation.