‘Grazier’ Ivan Scott fined over Rockhampton taxi passenger assault

He claims he has 400,000 head of cattle across a property empire, but this Qld man’s surprising side hustle has landed him in trouble with the law.

A stock images of a taxi. A spokesperson for 13cabs, not pictured, agreed there was a shortage of taxis in Townsville, saying the company had engaged with the previous Miles Government “for a number of years without success”. Picture: NewsWire-Sarah Marshall

A father who claims to own 400,000 head of cattle across 19 properties has been fined for assaulting a customer while working as a taxi driver.

Ivan Scott, 55, assaulted his female passenger for several minutes, Rockhampton Magistrates Court heard.

Police prosecutor Kathryn Walker said Scott had picked the victim and another customer up from the Great Western Hotel in December 2024 and dropped the first person off at a Depot Hill location.

She said the victim’s destination was nine minutes’ drive away.

The court heard Scott placed his hand on the victim’s right thigh four times for a combined duration of about 6.5 minutes, stroking her inner thigh and the victim put her hand between her thighs to stop the driver’s hand from moving further up.

When the ride ended, Scott said to the woman: “I’ll give you a cuddle” and wrapped his arm around the victim, pulling her in, Ms Walker said.

Scott held onto the victim’s arm and wrapped his hand on the side of her body below her bra line and the victim released herself from the hold and Scott continued to rub his hand on her back.

Ms Walker said the victim grabbed her belongings from the floor and Scott placed his hand on the victim’s leg a final time, tapping and rubbing her thigh.

She said as the victim exited the vehicle, Scott stroked his hand down her back once.

However, Ms Walker said when police spoke with Scott about the assault on February 14, he claimed both the victim and the other passenger sat in the back of the taxi during the journey and could not recall driving the victim alone from Depot Hill.

The Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton. Photo Lachie Millard

He also denied the allegations of him touching her and when shown the taxi’s internal video, claimed his hand was resting on the gear stick, not the victim’s leg.

Defence lawyer Rebecca Harris pointed out Scott was not before the court with a charge type that was for acts of a sexual connotation.

“The charge before (the court) is only a common assault,” she said.

Ms Harris said her client was to only be sentenced on that particular charge, “regardless of how the facts may read – no sexual connotation in them” and submitted he be ordered to pay a fine as his penalty.

Scott had a 10-week-old baby with his current partner, three adult children from a former relationship and a stepdaughter, whose mother had died, in her final year of high school.

The court was also told he had 14 employees working on 19 cattle properties including at Springsure with 400,000 head of cattle and had worked as a taxi driver for 14 years but had been suspended from his job while this charge was pending.

Ms Harris said his intention was to return to driving taxis until his stepdaughter has finished school and then he would return to the cattle properties.

She said the agricultural business was “breaking even” at present.

Ms Harris said he also intended to travel internationally in the future, specifically to an Angus Beef conference in America in 2027.

Acting Magistrate Stephen Byrne said Scott’s behaviour made the victim feel uncomfortable.

“It was not wanted,” he said.

Scott pleaded guilty to one count of common assault and was ordered to pay a $1500 fine and $1000 compensation.