Antony Leslie Fallows jailed for DV attack on woman at Gladstone

Enraged over a Bali Bombing victim’s photo being damaged, a Qld drought charity founder unleashed on his partner, leaving her fearing for her life.

Antony Leslie Fallows, 62, was jailed in Gladstone Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence). Generic image.

A Central Queensland charity founder has been jailed for his shocking domestic violence attack on his former partner.

Antony Leslie Fallows, 62, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence).

The court heard Fallows and the victim, a 57-year-old woman, had been in a relationship for about three months when an incident occurred at a Gladstone residence on the night of June 16 last year.

It was told the pair went to bed about 9pm and while lying there, the woman asked Fallows to talk about their relationship.

She then got out of bed, grabbed her water bottle, and hit a framed photo that was hanging on the wall.

The court heard the photo was of Fallows’ nephew who died in the Bali bombings.

The woman then panicked and dropped her water bottle on the floor to grab her prescription sunglasses.

Fallows approached her from behind, grabbed her by the hair and “smashed” her face into the hinge of a door frame, the court heard.

She immediately felt pain to the bridge of her nose and her forehead, and she saw blood dripping down her face.

The court heard Fallows then spun her around onto the bed and she felt “a heavy object” to the back, right side of her head.

The woman then heard footsteps as Fallows moved away, the court was told.

She grabbed her mobile phone, walked down the hallway to the front door, and called a friend who told her to call the police.

When police arrived, they found the woman and they saw “a large amount of blood” on her white singlet, as well as her face.

Police saw injuries to her nose which had dried blood on it.

Paramedics attended and took the woman to Gladstone Hospital for treatment.

Gladstone Courthouse.

She was later diagnosed with facial fractures including orbital and nasal bone fractures.

She was referred to, and received treatment from, a facial doctor in Brisbane.

A medical report was tendered to the court in which a doctor said, in his opinion, the orbital and nasal fractures, bruising to the woman’s arm, and bleeding and bruising around the eye sockets, could all be explained by blunt-forced trauma.

Acting Magistrate Nigel Rees noted the woman did not require surgery post assault.

“Which means, you (Fallows) were a hair’s breadth away from being charged with GBH - grievous bodily harm,” Mr Rees said.

“You are being sentenced on the basis that this is assault occasioning bodily harm.”

Mr Rees also noted that two months after the incident at the Gladstone home, Fallows participated in a police interview during which he denied any knowledge of the victim’s injuries and denied causing them.

“By the fact that you’ve entered a guilty plea to this offence, you were clearly minimising and lying to the police,” Mr Rees said.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins read the woman’s victim impact statement to the court.

In it, the woman said: “Every day I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster ride that I can’t get off.

“I’m suffering from, and being treated for, anxiety, depression, insomnia, low self-esteem, high risk of suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I see a psychologist as much as I can.”

The woman said when the offence occurred, she was “in total shock and feared for my life.”

Sgt Hoskins said Fallows’ course of conduct was “inexcusable” and she submitted for actual jail time with a head sentence of 18 months to two years, to serve a third.

Solicitor Cam Schroder tendered several references for Fallows, a retiree, and documentation to show that he had been attending men’s support services.

About Fallows’ relationship with the victim in this matter, Mr Schroder said: “This was a very toxic relationship.”

Mr Schroder submitted the catalyst for the offending was the breaking of the framed photo of Fallow’s late nephew and Mr Rees said: “That is in no way an excuse.”

Mr Schroder said Fallows had done a lot of charity work, having fundraised for Young Veterans Australia and he’d also, in 2019, founded the Doing It For The Drought charity which raised money and awareness for the mental health of people in rural communities.

Mr Schroder said Fallows was willing to pay $10,000 compensation to the victim and submitted a head sentence of eight months’ jail with immediate parole was in range.

On Fallows’ criminal history was an assault occasioning bodily harm from 2004 and his last appearance in court was in 2022 for a different offence.

Mr Rees said this latest offence was “a violent attack” and a deterrent was needed.

He sentenced Fallows to 18 months’ jail, suspended after serving four months, with an operational period of two years.

Mr Rees declared one day in pre-sentence custody as time already served and he made no order for compensation.

A conviction was recorded. 

Originally published as Antony Leslie Fallows jailed for DV attack on woman at Gladstone