Levi Ross Commens pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, choking, common assault, obstructing a police officer

A Sunshine Coast man has been sentenced for choking a man during a drunken incident that left a woman bruised and bleeding, a court has heard.

A plasterer who choked a man after he intervened during a drunken altercation inside a Sunshine Coast home has avoided further jail time.

Levi Ross Commens, 25, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court on August 22, 2022, to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, choking, common assault and obstructing a police officer.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks said the Toowoomba-born man assaulted a man and a woman on January 20, 2021.

Ms Marks said Commens “without warning” punched the woman in the jaw “with significant force” which knocked her to the ground.

The court heard the other man heard “the commotion” and found the woman “in the foetal position” on the ground.

Ms Marks said the man called Commens a “woman basher” which outraged him.

Levi Ross Commens pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, choking, common assault and obstructing a police officer. Picture: Sam Turner

“He leapt over the bed and punched (the victim) in the left of the head, grabbed him by the hair and kneed him in the chest causing him to fall,” she said.

Ms Marks said Commens put the man in a headlock for “close to a minute”, leaving the man to think he was “being choked to death”.

The court heard the woman tried to stop Commens by putting him in a headlock but he bit her fingers, causing them to bleed.

Ms Marks said when police arrived at the house, Commens “screamed aggressively” at them and refused to leave.

She said the officer drew his taser as Commens continued to swear at police until he was physically put on the ground and arrested.

Ms Marks said Commens’ behaviour was “violent” and “unprovoked”.

“He was that far out of control and couldn’t calm himself down when police arrived,” she said.

Defence barrister Mark McCarthy said his client’s actions were “uncharacteristic”.

The court heard Commens had been “severely intoxicated” and using cannabis at the time.

“His ability to regulate and monitor his behavioural responses were likely to be impaired,” Mr McCarthy said.

“He has no clear recollection of this episode.”

Judge Glen Cash sentenced Commens to two years in prison, which was suspended for two years after he’d already served 162 in pre-sentencing custody.

Convictions were recorded.