Billy Melville Keppel, 53, broke a woman’s leg and punched another to face after Aurukun State of Origin party

A Queensland man has pleaded guilty to assault and grievous bodily harm for attacking two female relatives — one with a wooden block — after they asked him to finish his State of Origin partying at their home and leave.

Billy Melville Keppel, 53, of Aurukun has been sentenced to four years jail for the grievous bodily harm and assault of two female family members.

An Aurukun man with a 21-page criminal history has been sentenced to four years jail after admitting to a “terrifying” attack on two female relatives who asked him to leave their house because they wanted to go to bed after a State of Origin party.

Billy Melville Keppel, 53, pleaded guilty in the Cairns District Court to assault occasioning bodily harm and grievous bodily harm on June 6, 2024 - the day after Queensland won the first game in the 2024 State of Origin series.

The court was told Keppel was watching the game and drinking with family before going to another family member’s house in the early hours of the morning to continue celebrating and drinking.

Melville became violent after family members asked him and friends to move their State of Origin party elsewhere because they wanted to sleep. Picture QRL

Judge Joshua Trevino KC, in sentencing, said Keppel’s violent behaviour escalated quickly after his partner asked him and the others to leave because she wanted to go to bed.

“You began arguing with your partner ... punched her multiple times to her mouth, causing lacerations to her lips,” Judge Trevino said.

“Another woman related to you saw you punching your partner and asked you to stop.

“She ran inside the house to get help from others and ... you commenced fighting with somebody else.

“She came back outside and you approached her, picked up a wooden plank ... and struck her to the left hip, which caused a fracture to her left femur.”

The woman was unable to get up, and was carried away by family members, the court was told.

The next day, she was airlifted to Cairns Hospital, where she underwent surgery and a metal plate was screwed to her hip.

She couldn’t walk for six weeks, the court was told.

“Your offending involved a serious attack on two defenceless women. Your behaviour is incapable of any rational explanation. It seems to me it was completely unprovoked.”

Billy Melville Keppel, 53, has pleaded guilty to assaulting two female relatives.

Prosecutor Peter Ah Gee told the court Keppel’s criminal history was extensive, and included “persistent public violence with weapons” like metal bars and blocks or wood, and defying and assaulting police.

Judge Trevino noted Keppel had been before the court almost “every year” since he was 18, saying he had a “terrible history of alcohol-fueled violence”.

He said Keppel’s early plea of guilty at the earliest opportunity would be reflected in the sentence imposed.

Judge Trevino sentenced him to a head sentence of four years, with a parole eligibility date of April 14, 2025, which also took into account the 272 days Keppel had been in custody on remand.

Originally published as Billy Melville Keppel, 53, broke a woman’s leg and punched another to face after Aurukun State of Origin party