Timothy John Nowlan pleads guilty to strangling woman while driving

A former cattle station worker has been behind bars for more than a year after drunkenly attacking a woman who was driving him to a hospital appointment.

Timothy John Nowlan faced Maroochydore District Court by video from prison on March 10, 2025. Picture: David Clark

A former Wandoan cattle station worker has spent more than 12 months behind bars after he strangled a woman while she was driving.

Timothy John Nowlan ploughed through two bottles of wine before the victim picked him up and tried to take him to an appointment when he inflicted the disturbing attack on February 20 last year.

Maroochydore District Court heard on Monday the woman was driving the 45-year-old to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital when the Wandoan man abused her, and said he wanted her brother and friend “dead”.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks said Nowlan also wanted her dead too.

Ms Marks said he continued to ramble and threaten her until he placed his hands around her throat and firmly pushed his thumb into her neck.

Timothy John Nowlan. Picture: Facebook

Nowlan pushed her head against the driver’s window, all while she was driving, and said “I want to kill you” as he strangled her for eight seconds. She struggled to breathe.

The woman, scared and crying, tried to drive to the police station when the 45-year-old grabbed the wheel.

She continued to drive until the woman pulled over near the Caloundra RSL.

Ms Marks said a nearby driver witnessed Nowlan yelling at the woman while she was behind the wheel and called police, who located the pair.

The court heard Nowlan denied there was an assault and was belligerent to police.

He was arrested and taken into custody, where he spent 384 days on remand until he pleaded guilty to strangulation in court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty. Picture: David Clark

The Crown prosecutor said the woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for redness and a graze to her sore neck.

In a victim impact statement to the court, Ms Marks said the woman spoke of the “enduring” pain she suffered, and labelled it “extremely grave” conduct which could’ve ended in far more serious consequences.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown said Nowlan, who was from the Western Downs town of Wandoan but born in Tenterfield in NSW, worked on cattle stations previously until he was injured by a bull.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown said the 45-year-old intended to live in Brisbane once released and did not wish to return to the Sunshine Coast. Nowlan also admitted he had issues with alcohol.

Judge Terry Gardiner jailed Nowlan for two-and-a-half years, however released him onto parole on Monday due to time served.