Soldier Logan Paul Jobson faces Defence Magistrates Court over assault charge

A soldier who headbutted a fellow ADF member in the bathroom of a southern NSW pub has been warned he would go ‘back to the queue at Centrelink’ if he repeated his actions.

A Private who headbutted a fellow soldier on Anzac Day in the men’s bathroom of an Albury pub will serve a 30-day suspended sentence in military detention and receive a severe reprimand.

Logan Paul Jobson, 21, pleaded guilty to common assault when he fronted the Defence Force Magistrates Court in Canberra on Monday.

Jobson was initially charged with actual bodily harm but this charge was downgraded to common assault early in the court proceeding.

The maximum penalty for common assault is two years in civilian jail with an automatic dismissal.

The court heard Jobson and the victim knew each other and “did not have a particularly good relationship” with each other.

Prosecutor Commander Andrew Johnson told the court the incident occurred in the men’s bathroom at the Soldier’s Sailors and Airmen Club in Albury in the late hours of April 25.

Private Logan Paul Jobson leaves court on Monday. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

The court heard the victim spoke to Jobson and said “let’s sort it out” to Jobson, who.

replied to “words to the effect of “ I don’t want to sort it out”.

After the exchange Jobson then headbutted the man in the face, causing his nose to bleed.

In a recorded interview conducted on May 5, Jobson admitted to the assault during the interview and told Service Police “something snapped” and described his actions as a “stupid mistake on my behalf”.

The court heard the men were drinking and in his interview, Jobson told officers he had been drinking beer and Canadian Club throughout the day before the incident and described his intoxication level as “seven to eight out of 10”.

In his submissions, Commander Johnson told the court it was not the first time Jobson had found himself in trouble, noting the defendant had been fined over making a disturbance verbal/physical altercation only a month before the Anzac Day incident.
Commander Johnson described Jobson’s actions as a serious example of common assault and a threat to military discipline.

“When mothers and fathers entrust their sons and daughters to the Australian Defence Force there is an expectation they are joining a disciplined force,” he said.

“(They don’t expect) to be assaulted by other ADF members.

“This calls into question (Jobson’s) suitability in the ADF.”

Private Logan Paul Jobson pleaded guilty to headbutting another soldier at the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Club in Albury.

Defending officer Major David Healey told the court his client was facing serious stress leading up to the incident, namely his father experiencing health problems, his grandfather recently being diagnosed with cancer and a recent break up with his partner.

Major Healey stated the incident had made his client reassess his life and in the months following the assault Jobson had made concrete steps to improve himself.

He told the court that his client has not drunk alcohol since the incident and has engaged with a psychologist.

“ (Jobson) wants to remain in the ADF and be the best soldier he can be,” Major Healey said.

Defence Force Magistrate Group Captain Scott Geeves interrupted Major Healey’s submissions to state he was not considering civilian imprisonment or dismissal for Jobson.

Private Logan Paul Jobson will face a suspended military detention sentence and a severe reprimand. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

In sentencing, Group Captain Geeves described Jobson’s offending as towards the lower end of the scale, in contrast to the prosecution's submission.

He described Jobson’s actions to rehabilitate himself as a “good start” but told the defendant he would not get off easy if he was brought back before the court.

“Any repeat of this kind of behaviour (myself and the army) will send you to the back of the queue of the local Centrelink office.

“Don’t blame the alcohol, don’t blame the stress.”

“The mark of a mature man, the man who wear the uniform you wear, is how he handles those stressors.

“Want to keep drinking to excess – you’ll be back here.”

In his closing remarks Group Captain Geeves told Jobson it was up to him whether on not he was “fair dinkum”.

“Don’t disappoint me,” he said.