Man allegedly assaults three people at IGA, including woman known to him and two store staff

A 24-year-old man allegedly assaulted a woman at Piccones IGA on Pease Street, before attacking two staff members who stopped to help.

Police are questioning a man for allegedly punching a woman known to him “multiple times” and assaulting two staff members at an IGA. Picture: QPS.

A 24-year-old man is in court after allegedly assaulting three people at Piccones IGA on Pease Street, including a woman known to him and two shop staff members.

At 4.10pm on May 13, the man allegedly punched the woman, 18, in the head multiple times before throwing his bicycle at her near the shop.

He had previously assaulted her in another incident on April 29, police say.

The woman fled into the shop, seeking safety.

Two male staff members confronted the man when he tried to follow the woman, The Cairns Post understands.

Police allege that when the staff members stopped him entering the shop, the man then punched one worker in the head and kicked the other in the stomach.

A witness who was in the store at the time, who asked to remain anonymous, said the shop worker who had been punched in the head had been taken for a precautionary concussion test.

“My heart was racing,” the bystander said.

Police said the alleged offender fled the scene on his mountain bike but was found by officers in nearby Edge Hill a short time later.

Another onlooker seemed unphased by the incident.

“You get pretty used to this stuff around here, especially after 6pm,” they said.

The alleged attacker has been charged with two counts of assault, two counts of assault domestic violence offence, three counts of obstruct police, and one count each of public nuisance, and assault police.

He is due to appear before Cairns Magistrates Court on May 14.

Originally published as Man allegedly assaults three people at IGA, including woman known to him and two store staff