39,000 assaults in a year: Queensland’s worst attack hotspots mapped
Police have dealt with a record 39,000 assaults across QLD with cases involving metal poles, baseball bats and hammers. Here are some of the sickening assaults that shocked the state. SEE THE LIST OF OFFENDERS
Police & Courts
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Queensland has recorded a massive spike in violent crime with the number of assaults rising by more than 12,000 in a year and police say there is one main reason behind the surge.
New Queensland Police figures show that the state recorded 39,300 offences of assault last year – the highest figure in at least 20 years – up almost 50 per cent on the figures for 2020.
But authorities say the sharp rise has not been driven by an increase in crime – but rather a new approach to the way police are reporting domestic and family violence (DFV) offences.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE LIST OF QUEENSLANDERS GUILTY OF SICKENING ASSAULTS
In July last year, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) changed the way criminal offences associated with DFV investigations across the state were recorded in the QPRIME computer system.
The shift meant that if police attended a reported breach of a domestic violence order that may include an alleged assault, the matter would not just be recorded as a DFV breach.
“When investigating a DFV occurrence, police across the state are now consistently recording all offences identified in the same incident in the QPRIME system,” a police spokesman said.
‘“It does not necessarily mean that more offences are occurring, but rather the QPS is more accurately capturing the true baseline of DFV criminal offending as reported by members of the public to police.”
Acting Superintendent Leonie Fordyce told the Courier Mail that the change meant police would get a “more accurate picture” of DFV because rather than counting the incident as one domestic violence offence, all criminal offending would be recorded.
“What we’re trying to do is get that really big picture so we can get a true sense of offending behaviour,” Supt Fordyce said.
“The focus for us is having that really accurate picture around DV and the criminal offending that sits within that, so I think it’s a really positive move for us.”
Police figures show a sharp increase in assault figures at the time the reporting method changed, with incidents climbing from 2626 offences in June to 3880 in July.
Supt Fordyce said it was expected that Queensland could similarly see increases across other crimes including wilful damage, property offences and sexual offences.
“(The new system) gives us a better picture around risk and about protecting and supporting victims of DV and of course holding perpetrators to account for that behaviour,” she said.
PEOPLE CONVICTED OF ASSAULT IN 2021
COREY JAMES BRIDGE
Bridge pulled a kitchen knife at a party and argued with a reveller before launching a horrific assault on the 58-year-old father of the host.
The Brisbane District Court was told last August that Bridge, 23, bashed the man kicking his head on the ground “like a football”.
Bridge, of Mount Warren Park, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and threatening violence at the party in 2017.
Bridge to seven-and-a-half months’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole.
KYM MAI LANDSDOWNE
An Ipswich woman with a history of domestic violence, flew into a violent rage when her then-boyfriend lost her mobile phone.
Kym Mai Landsdowne, 44, retaliated by stealing money from him, damaging his car and bashing him with a metal pole, the Brisbane District Court was told.
She pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, stealing, two counts of common assault and three counts of wilful damage at Kangaroo Point last year.
She was sentenced to four years’ jail.
DAMIEN JOSEPH KOCKA, DION JOSEPH KOCKA
A Logan father and son were sentenced in court after driving to a man’s house with “violence” on their minds over a toolbox dispute.
A court was told last July that Tanah Merah father Damien Joseph Kocka, 46, became enraged with an associate over a borrowed toolbox and enlisted the help of his son Dion Joseph Kocka to administer a severe bashing.
The 65-year-old victim suffered a broken jaw and collarbone and his son sustained a broken nose in the 2017 attack.
Dion was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for four years, after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm.
His father Damien to 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years after pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm.
JAYDEN PETER O’LEARY, EMILY JANE MORAN
A young couple administered a severe, three-on-one bashing to their neighbour’s girlfriend with a cricket bat and skateboard, a court was told.
Jayden Peter O’Leary and Emily Jane Moran, both 19, pleaded guilty in July last year to assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and in company over the December 2019 attack.
The court heard the incident kicked off after Moran launched a glass bottle at the front door of O’Leary’s cousin.
His cousin’s girlfriend emerged from the house brandishing a jerry can of gas and matches, telling O’Leary and Moran to leave the property or else she would torch Moran’s car.
Moran, armed with a skateboard, O’Leary, and a third person armed with a cricket bat then descended upon the woman, who sustained a broken arm in the vicious assault. Judge O’Leary was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended, while Moran was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment that was also wholly suspended.
CHRISTOPHER PATRICK GRONVOLD
A once promising athlete savagely beat two unsuspecting members of the public at a ferry terminal because he was asked to observe social distancing, a court was told.
Christopher Patrick Gronvold, 27, pleaded guilty to assaults occasioning bodily harm in public while adversely affected, commit public nuisance and two counts of contravention of a probation order.
The court heard Gronvold’s attack in April 2020 did not stop with his first victim but continued when he punched a 16-year-old boy in the face who came to help the victim.
Gronvold was sentenced to six months’ jail, wholly suspended over 18 months.
He was also fined $750 and ordered to complete 160 hours of community service.
SIMON JAMES MCTAGGART, JESSICA LOUISE SOLIEN
An Ipswich couple travelled in the dead of night to bash the ex-boyfriend of one of their co-offenders after he revealed he had been diagnosed with STIs.
Willowbank man Simon James McTaggart and his partner Jessica Louise Solien went to the man’s Brisbane house with another woman – the victim’s ex-girlfriend – to mete out punishment.
McTaggart punched the man in the face, then the victim fled 650m – naked and barefoot – before the trio caught up with him in their vehicle and kicked and punched him as he lay on the ground.
The assault only stopped when a truckie intervened.
In November last year, McTaggart pleaded guilty to common assault and assault occasioning bodily harm while in company, with his partner Solien previously convicted for her role in the offending.
McTaggart to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for an operational period of 18 months after he has served three months behind bars.
Solien was sentenced to 15 months’ probation, with the third co-defendant sentenced to 20 months’ probation.
HARLEY KEITH GEORGE GROVES
A former chef was jailed after he assaulted a woman over a number of days, tying her arms and legs and choking her when she tried to escape.
Harley Keith George Groves, 35, appeared in Gympie District Court in December last year and pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including deprivation of liberty, assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault.
The court heard Groves had assaulted the woman multiple times over several days in June 2021.
The violence escalated when he drove her to Toolara State Forest, north east of Gympie, and told her to lay on her stomach while he tied her arms and legs.
The court heard when she tried to escape his car, he put her into a headlock and strangled her.
After Groves dropped the woman back at her house some time later, she called triple-0.
He was sentenced to 18 months jail, and ordered to serve a third of that time, with the remainder of his sentence to be suspended for three years.
PAUL WILLIAM JACKSON
A Sunshine Coast mining site supervisor inflicted a frenzied attack on an unsuspecting pub patron after he was told off for urinating near a Maleny venue on New Year’s Eve.
Paul William Jackson was sentenced to a 15-month suspended jail term after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in a public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance on December 31, 2020.
The court heard Jackson punched a 49-year-old man after he made a comment about Jackson and another man urinating in a bush.
The victim suffered a broken nose, laceration, abrasion and ongoing snoring issues because of the attack.
As well as the suspended sentence, Jackson was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and pay $10,000 to the victim.
BEN BARBA
Disgraced footy star Ben Barba attacked his brother-in-law for calling him a ‘wife basher’ punching him in the face after barging into his estranged wife’s home.
The Dally M Medal winner was convicted of assaulting his brother in law Adrian Currie at an East Mackay home on December 1,
The Mackay Magistrates Court heard the assault happened after Barba had called his former partner 50 times before going to her house and verbally abusing her while she was trying to go to work.
Barba pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in a domestic setting and three counts of contravening a domestic violence order.
Barba was sentenced to two years probation and convictions were recorded.
CHRISTOPHER RAY GRABYN, JARRED MICHAEL JOHN SHAW
A man was attacked by two strangers outside his home in Biloela after their group was attracted to the victim’s house by a woman who was causing a scene.
Christopher Ray Grabyn, 25, and Jarred Michael John Shaw, 26, both pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on October 21 to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in company.
The court heard the victim was at home with a friend when he heard a commotion involving a woman outside.
He grabbed a walking stick, which he used to move a group of strangers who were outside his front door.
After the victim struck Grabyn with the stick, Grabyn and Shaw attacked the man wrestling and hitting him causing bruising to the victim’s face and body.
Grabyn was sentenced to nine months prison, suspended for 18 months, and Shaw was sentenced to six months prison, suspended for 18 months.
AARON ANDREW CHANNELL
A Gladstone man’s sickening assault on a police officer in November 2020 proved near-fatal.
Aaron Andrew Channell’s attack on Sergeant Wayne Butcher, the twin brother of Gladstone MP and Minister Glenn Butcher, forced the officer to develop a life-threatening blood clot in his throat.
Channell, 24, pleaded guilty to five charges in the Gladstone District Court including serious assault of a police officer causing bodily harm and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely intoxicated.
The court heard Sergeant Butcher and his partner had responded to a dispatch call regarding a Holden ute with a deflated tyre driving on the Dawson Highway at 100km/hr in a 60 zone.
When the officers attended and were arresting Channell, he punched Sergeant Butcher in the side of his head and started abusing both officers.
Channell was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment, with a parole release date of May 2022. Convictions were recorded.
KUR, RAGE, MANYANG, OMOT
Four men were convicted after a man was beaten with hammers and bats at a soccer tournament on Brisbane’s southside that was part of a rolling series of gang-related battles.
Deng Sebit Arou Kur, 26, Abdulrahman Mohamed Rage, 24, Liec Alapayo Manyang, 19, and Omot James Omot, 20, were sentenced at Brisbane District Court in August last year for their vicious assault at Acacia Ridge that left Charles Amalu, 21, in hospital.
All pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and in company, while all bar Rage also pleaded guilty to common assault.
Omot and Rage also pleaded guilty to affray and going armed in public so as to cause fear.
Manyang was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole, Kur was sentenced to two years’ jail cumulative on an existing sentence, Omot was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole and Rage was sentenced to two years’ probation and 200 hours’ community service.
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