William Peter Stephens in Rockhampton court charged with choking, assaults

A man accused of the shocking abuse of his partner says he has proof it was not physical possible for him to harm her.

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A man accused of choking his partner twice and many other assaults in the past seven years claims three workplace accidents have left him so significantly injured, he physically couldn’t assault anyone.

William Peter Stephens, 48, made an application for bail in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on February 14 after being charged with two counts of choking/strangulation, five of assault occasioning bodily harm (AOBH), two of wilful damage, one of common assault and one of threaten violence – discharge firearms or other act.

Defence lawyer Rebecca Harris said Mr Stephens had a two-page criminal history with the last entry from 2017.

She said with regards to the strangulation allegation, Mr Stephens was accused of applying such force that it made it difficult for the alleged victim to breathe.

Ms Harris said there was not a clear indication if there was a loss of breath there which is an element of the charge.

She said some allegations were also dated with the first two (wilful damage and AOBH) alleged to have occurred in May and December 2018.

However, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale pointed out that charges nine, 10 and 11 were more recent alleged criminal acts.

She said allegations included grabbing her by the chest and shoved her so hard against the wall that she heard a crack.

“He’s in a back brace,” Ms Harris said.

“His instructions are that he physically cannot assault someone.

“He has significant physical injuries which cause him significant pain.”

She said Mr Stephens had many work-related accidents which occurred on April 24, 2021, and the second February 18, 2022, and the third occurring in October 2023.

“This has caused a lot of physical injuries to him and his mobility is affected by that,” Ms Harris said.

“He’s currently unable to work at the moment.

“He’s on a WorkCover pension and hasn’t worked since that last incident in October 2023.”

According to the court files, both choking/strangulation allegations are alleged to have occurred in March 2022.

There are also two AOBH, the common assault and another wilful damage alleged to have occurred in February 2025 and the threatened violence in 2024.

Some of the offences were alleged to have been committed in Wallu in the Gympie region and others in Alton Downs in the Rockhampton region.

Ms Harris said Mr Stephens is represented by Rees R Sydney Jones in a claim for that and she had spoken with the solicitors from that firm.

Ms Harris said the solicitor told her the aggrieved, up until a few days prior to the bail application, had been “heavily assisting” Mr Stephens.

Police prosecutor Brandon Selic said it would seem, “reading between the lines”, this alleged victim is a person who has been living in fear for some time and was too scared to report to police.

He said his office was frequently contacted by her in the two days leading up to the bail application, “concerned about” whether Mr Stephens was going to be released from custody and if there would be a protection order in place.

“I have also been advised by the aggrieved that the back brace is apparently not needed, which is why he has been able to allegedly commit these more serious offences,” Mr Selic said.

He said he conceded Mr Stephens was at a disadvantage in that he could not provide any medical documentation to the court for the bail application, however, his lawyers who are representing him for the workplace claim could do that for a “change in circumstances” bail application.

Ms Harris said he is contesting all but the wilful damage of the phone charge.

She said her client was seeking to live in Torbanlea and had no history of breaching court orders.

Briefs of evidence were ordered for all but one wilful damage charge and Mr Stephens charges were set to be mentioned next on April 9.

Ms Beckinsale denied to grant him bail and remanded him in custody.