Kerry Adam Pfeffer in Proserpine court over Airlie Beach lagoon assault

A former labourer claims he has no memory of violently assaulting a woman at a popular Qld tourist destination.

Kerry Adam Pfeffer appeared in Proserpine Magistrates Court on July 7 charged with assault.

A former labourer who blacked out and assaulted a woman in broad daylight believes he was drugged, telling a court he doesn’t remember the incident.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard Kerry Adam Pfeffer approached a woman he didn’t know in the Airlie Beach Lagoon carpark on September 22 around mid-day offering her a cigarette.

When the woman told Mr Pfeffer she did not smoke he grabbed her around the back of her neck and pulled her into him, saying something like “look into my eyes and have a smoke”, police prosecutor Lynda Hughes said.

He then grabbed the woman’s forearms and pulled her towards him as if trying to give her a hug, the court heard.

The woman told Mr Pfeffer not to touch her at which point he pushed her to the ground and put his knee on her stomach and grabbed her neck.

The court heard this caused the woman serious discomfort and made her lose her breath.

Ms Hughes said the woman was “terrified” and “crying and screaming for help” during the attack.

Lawyer for Legal Aid Queensland, Rosie Varley, appeared on behalf of the 38-year-old telling the court the incident was “very much out of character”.

The court heard prior to the attack Mr Pfeffer attended a local music festival and an afterparty before making his way to Airlie Beach.

She said the man’s first memories after that were of waking up in the hospital and he had no recollection of the assault.

She also said Mr Pfeffer believed he may have been drugged.

He would ordinarily be described as a “very peaceful person” and had never been involved in a physical altercation before she added.

“He certainly is extremely remorseful for his conduct towards the complainant, and how fearful she must have been, and he is very shocked by his actions, and embarrassed by it, and he acknowledges that it’s no excuse,” she said.

Mr Pfeffer said he had no way to justify what happened that day.

“After the event I’ve minimised being out in public, going out, going to events, going to pubs, I’ve stopped drinking, I don’t drink, I don’t go anywhere,” he said.

“I’ve avoided people in general because I don’t know how it happened in the beginning, let alone how it might happen in the future.”

Magistrate Anna Smith said in sentencing she would take into account the emotional impact the attack would have had on the woman.

Mr Pfeffer pleaded guilty to common assault, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing utensils, and failing to appear.

For the assault he was sentenced to three months imprisonment which was suspended with an operational period of 12 months.

He was fined $600 for the other matters.

Convictions were recorded.