Geoffrey Delta sentenced for assaulting pregnant woman at Gladstone

A Central Queensland man launched a shocking assault on a woman pregnant with his child outside a shopping centre, forcing members of the public to step in to save her.

Police were called to a Gladstone shopping centre where a pregnant woman was assaulted. Generic image.

A repeat Central Queensland domestic violence offender assaulted a woman pregnant with his child outside a shopping centre, a court has heard.

Geoffrey Delta, 21, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to charges including assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence).

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said for the past two years, Delta’s five-page criminal history consisted “predominantly of” domestic violence offending.

Sgt Hoskins said the latest offending before the court related to the fourth aggrieved Delta had offended against.

The court heard that on July 26, Delta was involved in an incident with the aggrieved woman outside a shopping centre.

Sgt Hoskins said Delta demanded the woman’s mobile phone so that he could use it, saying: “Give me your f---ing phone.”

The woman refused to give it to him and he grabbed her by the arm.

Gladstone Courthouse.

Sgt Hoskins said the woman struggled and “tried to break away” from Delta.

“And she fell and hit her head on a skip bin which has caused a cut to her right eyebrow,” the prosecutor said.

“(Delta) has stood over the (woman) and yelled ‘give me your f---ing phone’, and then witnesses/members of the public have feared for her safety and intervened.”

Sgt Hoskins said the witnesses took the woman to a nearby bathroom and protected her until police arrived.

“Police have seen the cut to her eyebrow and they’ve come to be aware that she’s 24 weeks pregnant with his (Delta’s) child.”

The court heard that as well as previous domestic violence offending, Delta’s criminal history included drug offending.

Solicitor Bianca Wieland said Delta was a single man who was using methamphetamine at the time of the offending.

Ms Wieland said Delta knew his offending was immature and selfish, and he was remorseful for what he did.

She said Delta, who had spent his 21st birthday in pre-sentence custody for this offending, wanted to engage in rehabilitation.

On October 23, Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Delta to eight months’ jail, declared 84 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed immediate parole.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Geoffrey Delta sentenced for assaulting pregnant woman at Gladstone