Bail granted for man accused of beating woman unconscious

AFTER spending 173 days behind bars, a Burnett man has been released on bail after allegedly beating his partner unconscious, fracturing her chest and eye socket.

A man applied for bail before Murgon Magistrates Court today after his partner was found lying unconsious, barely breathing, following an argument. File Photo.

A CENTRAL Burnett man was granted bail after his partner was allegedly beaten unconscious, leaving her with broken ribs, a broken sternum, a fractured eye socket and full-body bruising.

The man fronted Murgon Magistrates Court on Tuesday (October 6) via video to apply for bail and enter a plea of guilty to a number of other charges, including doing high-speed burnouts while drunk in a hospital car park.

The defendants specific location has not been provided for legal reasons.

In relation to the alleged domestic violence charge resulting in grievous bodily harm, reading from a witness statement, Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said the defendant and aggrieved were seen walking away arguing by a number of people during a party.

"He (the witness) went around the corner and the defendant came back past him. He went around another corner and found her on the ground unconscious," he said.

"He ran over, she was not breathing properly. There was one more person around the corner, passed out, intoxicated."

Magistrate Sinclair said her injuries included a "fractured sternum, ribs, left eye socket, and bruises over her body, including her neck, possibly from strangulation".

Defence lawyer Alan Korobacz said this will be a particularly difficult case to prosecute since no one actually witness any direct violence between the defendant and aggrieved.

Bail was granted to the defendant with a no contact condition, meaning he must not contact or approach the aggrieved and not go within 100 metres of her at any time.

The case has been scheduled for another mention on October 17.

In relation to the other offences dealt with this week, Police Prosecutor Barry Stevens said the most serious by far was the count of dangerous driving dating back to April 7, 2019.

"After a dispute with his girlfriend, he took the car keys and did burnouts at the hospital," Sgt Stevens said.

"He then crashed through the boom gate and onto the street. There was a pedestrian who'd just walked past, but no one was injured."

He then lost control driving at high speed down the road, crossed the line, and hit a street pole. At the time he was disqualified from driving and recorded a 0.124 BAC.

On September 8, 2019, the defendant contravened a domestic violence order made on July 17 2019 at Murgon. That same day, he obstructed four police officers in the performance of their duties.

Other charges included a failure to surrender into custody at Murgon Magistrates Court without reasonable cause on July 2, 2019; breaking a bail condition, specifically in relation to his residential address, between March 6 and March 15, 2020; a broken bail condition on March 11; and a failure to surrender into custody at Murgon Magistrates Court on March 17.

For the dangerous driving, he was sentenced to four months imprisonment with parole release set for the same day.

"The most serious charge is the dangerous driving charge, which in this case, was attempting to drift the car. You were attempting to drift the car while you were disqualified and 0.124 (BAC)."

"It's probably because you were over the limit that you were silly enough to drive and attempt to drift a car at 130 km/h in a 50 zone."

For the group of charges including dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving under the influence of alcohol, the defendant has been disqualified from holding or obtaining a license for a total of four years. Aside from the period of disqualification, for the drink driving and disqualified driving he was convicted and not further punished.

For the fail to appear on July 2, he was sentenced to two months in prison.

For the fail to appear on March 17, he was convicted and not further punished.

For the breaches of bail, he was convicted and not further punished.

For the contravention of the domestic violence order, he was sentenced to one month imprisonment. This is to be served concurrently with the two month sentence.

For the four counts of obstruct and assault a police officer, he was convicted and not further punished.

In total, the defendant received a head sentence of six month imprisonment. Since he has already served 173 days, his parole release date was set for Tuesday October 6.

"You've been in custody for a very long time now. It's a long time for anyone to serve in custody, particularly during the COVID lockdown period," Magistrate Sinclair said.

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