Rockhampton jockey Luke Dillon was on meth when he choked his partner

A jockey has told his victim ‘no one would miss you if you went missing’ while pointing out the perfect place to leave her ‘to get raped and bashed’. DISTURBING CONTENT

Luke Dillon

A Rockhampton jockey who has been using illicit drugs for more than a decade has been jailed for “barbaric” acts of violence against a partner.

This includes biting her cheek, smashing her head against hard objects and choking her.

Luke Richard Raymond Dillon, 33, was prohibited from going to his now former partner’s residence or contacting her when in May 2022, he decided they needed to go for a drive during which he verbally abused and assaulted her.

Dillion pleaded guilty on March 6 in Rockhampton District Court to one count of choking – domestic violence offence, two assault occasioning bodily harm – domestic violence offences and three breaches of a domestic violence order.

Judge Jeff Clarke described Dillon’s behaviour as “acts of barbarism” which were protracted, persistent and included victim blaming and were borne out of jealousy, and a need to control and coerce her.

Luke Dillon

“I should f--ing flog you. I will beat the shit out of you. You are nothing but a dumb slut and no one would miss you if you went missing,” the court heard Dillon told his victim.

Dillon also accused her of infidelity, tried to grab her phone from her and told her, “this would be the right place to leave you to get raped and bashed”.

The court heard he smashed her head into the car’s left-hand-side window, made a biting gesture towards her cheek as he drove, and swerved on the highway between Mount Morgan and Monto.

He let her out of the car at Monto and she walked straight into the police station, but did not make a complaint.

Dillon followed her in and told police they had argued because he wanted to go to the pub and she didn’t.

Three days later about 1am, Dillon went to the victim’s house and accused her of sleeping with other men.

Judge Clarke said Dillon repeatedly blamed the victim for the injuries he gave her before hitting himself in the head and inviting her to hit him.

Dillon then grabbed her by the throat and choked her while also banging her head against a metal bed head.

Luke Dillon. Photo Allan Reinikka / The Morning Bulletin

“Immediately after doing that, you pulled her toward you and bit down on her left cheek causing her to scream out in pain,” Judge Clarke said.

Police located him the next day hiding in a bedroom possessing 6.4 grams of marijuana.

The court heard Dillon told police she had hit him and he had hugged her and given her “a love bite”.

Defence barrister Jordan Ahlstrand said Dillon, who had worked as a jockey since leaving school, had started using marijuana when he was 19 years old and methamphetamines about age 22 or 23.

He said Dillon was using meth at the time of this offending.

Mr Ahlstrand said Dillon’s mother and former de-facto partner (not the victim) were in court in support.

Judge Clarke sentenced Dillon to 3.5 years prison with immediate parole eligibility, declaring 344 days presentence custody as time already served.