Darcy William Kenneth Anderson punched man at Railway Hotel

A Central Queensland miner who took a slur made by a stranger at a pub to heart due to his family’s trauma carried out a shock assault. Read more here.

An assault victim claims his Tourette’s Syndrome symptoms worsened after a tattooed Harley Davidson lover launched over a seated male in a Central Queensland beer garden to punch and push the victim after a homosexuality slur.

The attacker, Darcy William Kenneth Anderson, pleaded guilty on August 1 in Rockhampton District Court to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.

A video of the incident, which took place at Yeppoon’s Railway Hotel on April 4, 2021, was played in court.

One moment, the group appeared to be laughing. The next, Anderson launched over a male to punch and push a standing member of the group.

Crown prosecutor Maryam Yousufzai said the victim and Anderson, 28, were not known to each other.

She said Anderson had been at the venue drinking with friends and after some time, the victim and his friends approached the table just before 8.30pm.

Ms Yousufzai said the victim asked the group if they were homosexuals.

Defence barrister Julie Marsden said there was a homosexual slur in the conversation which upset her client and then the victim leaned over the seated man to say in Anderson’s face “are you going to hit me?”

She said Anderson’s uncle had died by suicide after struggling with his own homosexuality.

Anderson punched and pushed the victim, followed him as he fell and threw two more punches.

However, it was not known if the last two punches connected, Ms Yousufzai told the court.

She said the victim’s injuries had healed, but his Tourette syndrome symptoms were worse, it had affected his social life and he had gained weight so he looked bigger in case he was assaulted again.

Ms Yousufzai said this incident took place within six months of Anderson being ordered by the court to pay a fine for a common assault he committed at the same venue against its manager.

In that incident, Anderson poked the manager’s chest, slapped him and tried to pinch his nipple after the manager told he and his friends they were not welcome.

Ms Marsden said her client had been drinking spirits on both occasions and had stopped drinking spirits due to the wake up call he got from the most recent incident.

She said he had also undertaken counselling for anger management.

Ms Marsden said at the time, Anderson’s two-year relationship had ended and he had lots going on as a result of the Covid pandemic.

She said Anderson, who had left school in year nine, had worked on cattle stations up north before returning to the region and working at the mines.

Ms Marsden said he was now a supervisor at the mines and was working towards being an open cut mine examiner.

She said he was supported in court by his father and two sisters and his mother would have been there but was at work.

Ms Marsden said Anderson had sold his Harley Davidson, which he loved, because it got attention and he did not like the negative reputation associated with Harley owners.

She said he also had people try to pick fights with him due to his tall build and tattoos.

Judge Jeff Clarke ordered Anderson to pay a $2000 fine and $500 in compensation.

No conviction was recorded.