Tradie dad Charlie John Coveney accused of fracturing man’s skull in Gatton pub fight has assault charge dropped

A former amateur boxer and tradesman accused of fracturing a man’s skull during a pub brawl in the Lockyer Valley has been cleared of the charge.

Charlie John Coveney, 28, stands accused of one count of grievous bodily harm arising from a Gatton pub fight that left a man fighting for his life.

A Lockyer Valley tradesman who spent six months in custody after a brutal pub fight has had his assault charge dropped.

Charlie John Coveney, 29, was charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm after an altercation with Matthew Hawkins at the Gatton Hotel on December 3, 2022.

During the fight, Mr Hawkins sustained a skull fracture and brain bleed from a fall to the ground, which landed him in an induced coma.

Almost three years after the pub brawl, Mr Coveney fronted court on the assault charge for the last time in Toowoomba on Thursday, July 10.

Charlie John Coveney has been cleared of one count of grievous bodily harm arising from a Gatton pub fight in 2022 that left a man fighting for his life.

Acting on behalf of Fisher Dore Lawyers, solicitor Alysha Jacobsen told the court she was instructed that police would no longer be proceeding with the charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The court was told the office of police prosecutions offered no evidence for the charge.

Magistrate Mark Howden said Mr Coveney was formally discharged of the offence and dismissed the charge.

The former amateur boxer spent six months on remand following the assault before he was granted Supreme Court bail in May 2023.

In May 2025, Mr Coveney successfully varied his bail conditions before the Toowoomba Supreme Court, allowing him to contact Mr. Hawkins with the intention of settling the assault charge outside of court.

The court heard Mr Hawkins, his girlfriend Ms Keppel and a friend Mr Morrison were at the pub on Saturday when an argument broke out between Mr Coveney and Mr Morrison.

During that court appearance, Fisher Dore Criminal Lawyers principal Michael O’Brien told the higher court the charges were lagging before the courts for a number of reasons.

“(They) are summarised as delays of the brief of evidence, including DNA evidence, and also complications from the prosecution’s perspective,” he said.

Mr O’Brien said a committal hearing was cancelled because witnesses weren’t available.

“Shortly thereafter, our officer received confirmation from the prosecution that the complainant, Mr Hawkins, was a willing participant in the mediation process,” he said

When Mr Coveney was denied bail before the Toowoomba Magistrates Court in December 2022, the court was told that Mr Coveney was acting in self-defence, a claim supported by some witnesses.

The court heard that on the night in question, Mr Coveney and Mr Hawkins, who were somewhat known to each other, had gotten into a protracted argument and a sequence of physical altercations.

However, the final and almost fatal knock to Mr Hawkins occurred as Mr Coveney was trying to leave.

When another scuffle broke up outside the Gatton Commercial Hotel it was alleged Mr Coveney rushed Mr Hawkins, knocking him to the ground and causing a skull fracture.

Mr Coveney still has two unrelated weapon charges before the court, which he was charged with following the incident at the Gatton pub when police raided the Lockyer Valley home.

Ms Jacobsen said he intends to plead guilty to the charges, which are two counts of unlawfully possessing a category A, B or M weapon, and one count of illegally possessing ammunition.

Mr Coveney is set to plead guilty to the weapon offences before the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on August 25.

Originally published as Tradie dad Charlie John Coveney accused of fracturing man’s skull in Gatton pub fight has assault charge dropped