Steven John Dillanger Gallagher: Southport man who turned taser on police handed community service order

Gold Coast police responding to reports of a domestic violence incident had a taser pointed at them while one officer’s foot was wedged inside a door. Now one of the people involved – a dad of 11 – has had his day in court.

Steven John Dillanger Gallagher, 41, leaving Southport Courthoue on Tuesday, May 13. Picture: Emily Walker

A man who shot a taser at police responding to reports of a domestic violence incident has been sentenced to a community service order.

Steven John Dillanger Gallagher, 41, appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 13 and pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer acting in execution of his duty.

The court heard officers attended a Southport address after receiving calls for service due to a domestic violence incident on August 31, 2024.

Upon attending the address police noticed a man later identified as Gallagher’s brother with a head injury.

The court heard police were blocked from entering the unit with Gallagher’s mother telling police they didn’t have a warrant.

Despite officers explaining a warrant wasn’t required in this circumstance, they were blocked from entering.

A constable placed his foot at the bottom of the door to prevent it from closing however pressure was applied to the door from inside, wedging the officer’s foot between the door and the frame.

Other officers told the people inside to release pressure from the constable’s foot however they refused.

The court heard police deployed pepper spray after warning those inside and telling them to release the constable’s foot.

Gallagher produced a taser and deployed it in the directions of the officers who deployed a taser back.

Further police attended and used an entry tool to force entry.

A taser was used on Gallagher, who refused to comply with police.

The constable, who sustained pain and trauma to his foot from the pressure, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital.

Steven John Dillanger Gallagher, 41, leaving Southport Courthouse on Tuesday, May 13. Picture: Emily Walker

The court heard Gallagher was one of four people charged in relation to the incident. His mother has had her charges committed to the Southport District Court and two other co-accused are still before the courts.

Gallagher’s lawyer Rachel Carson form Howden Saggers Lawyers said her client was liable as a party to the crushing of the officer’s foot and acknowledged the seriousness of pointing a taser at officers.

She said Gallagher, who started using cannabis as a seven-year-old and progressed to intravenous drugs at 13 years old, has experienced a highly unstable and abusive upbringing marked by domestic violence and exposure to drug use.

The court heard Gallagher, who is on the disability support pension for illiteracy, has ADHD and severe anxiety but has been unable to afford doctor’s appointments in Queensland to get prescriptions for medications made.

Ms Carson said Gallagher, the father of 11 children, has been clean of drugs for a decade and has no criminal history for the better part of 20 years.

She asked for a conviction not to be recorded as Gallagher, who has never worked before, had recently been offered a job to work for a truck driving business and a recorded conviction would impact his ability to hold a specific licence.

Magistrate Nerida Wilson said Gallagher’s offending was on the lower end of the scale but he had perpetrated it against frontline emergency police.

“The whole thing on that day was completely chaotic,” she said. “It puts front line emergency services at risk. Just have a think about that sir.”

Gallagher was placed on a 50 hour community service order to be completed within six months.

A conviction was not recorded.

Originally published as Steven John Dillanger Gallagher: Southport man who turned taser on police handed community service order