Former Tweed Heads man Reece Allan Latta jailed for dragging girlfriend down stairs, rock attack

A once successful concreter-turned-homeless man pleaded guilty to 24 charges after his life spiralled out of control. HIS SHOCKING FALL FROM GRACE

A Gold Coast man who dragged his former girlfriend down a flight of stairs and injured her father with a rock says his life “spiralled out of control” after a relationship breakdown.

Reece Allan Latta, 27, pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday to 24 charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and evasion.

The court was told Latta, formerly of Tweed Heads, lived a successful and productive life as a concreter before a relationship breakdown in 2019 led him to becoming a homeless drug user.

“The breakdown of a five-year relationship where he lost his home, that is when he started using and that is when he became homeless,” Latta’s lawyer Maddison Abela said.

In February, the 27-year-old attended the Labrador home of a woman he had been dating and started banging and kicking the door.

When there was no answer, Latta broke into the unit and found the woman in her bedroom.

He then physically dragged her out of the room and down a flight of stairs so forcefully her head started hitting the walls, the court was told.

Other occupants of the building had to physically intervene to stop the man.

That same month, Latta broke a fence panel to gain entry to home of his girlfriend’s father.

Latta and the man had a brief verbal exchange before the 27-year-old picked up a rock and threw it in the direction of his girlfriend’s father, the court was told.

The rock hit a fence panel, rebounded and connected with the man’s arm and elbow, causing a minor cut.

In March, Latta’s girlfriend stayed the night with him and woke to find he had taken her phone and transferred $100 of her money to his bank account.

Outside Southport Courthouse

The 27-year-old had a string of serious traffic offences dating back to 2020, including an incident in Surfers Paradise where he sped off while police tried to pursue him.

Magistrate Dzenita Balic described the 27-year-old’s offending as “diverse”, but noted he had a limited criminal history before 2020.

“It is actually the first time you have committed serious offences - so let this be the last time,” she said.

“It’s a plea of guilty and an acceptance to everything, but you have to understand the offending is serious.”

Magistrate Balic sentenced Latta to 120 days imprisonment, including 103 days he spent in pre-sentence custody.

He received an 18-month prison probation and was disqualified from driving for two years.

Convictions were recorded.

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