Mackay dad Anthony Fedele pleads guilty to grievous bodily harm at Airlie Beach

A Qld father overreacted to threats at a taxi rank and broke a man’s cheekbone in a one punch attack after a night out at a popular tourism spot. Here’s why he won’t go to jail.

Anthony Fedele pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to a stranger at a taxi rank in Airlie Beach.

A Mackay father has overreacted and broken a man’s cheekbone in a one punch attack after he was threatened in a taxi rank following a night out in the Whitsundays.

CCTV captured Anthony Fedele landing the punch on a stranger’s face after the stranger had threatened to “punch or flog” him, in the early hours of February 19, 2022 at Airlie Beach.

Mackay District Court heard the then 29 year old had been with friends at the taxi rank when the victim and another man had approached them and things “became heated” between Fedele and the unknown male.

“One of your friends had to pull you away,” Judge Jennifer Rosengren said.

The unknown man walked away, but there was an argument between Fedele and the victim who was threatening “to punch or flog you,” she said.

The court heard in response Fedele punched him causing the victim to fall to the ground before going off in a taxi – the victim’s injuries included a cheekbone fracture that needed titanium screws to be surgically inserted.

Fedele pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and was being sentenced on the basis his assault was an “overreaction to the threat” by the victim.

“You must regret this one,” Judge Rosengren told the now 31 year old father of one.

“You are now going to have a criminal conviction for grievous bodily harm.”

Anthony Fedele pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to a stranger at a taxi rank in Airlie Beach.

Judge Rosengren told Fedele it was common for “men like yourself” to turn to violence “when they feel anger or frustration”, adding that in many cases of grievous bodily harm an offender would go to jail.

“It’s a very sad way to learn this lesson,” Judge Rosengren said.
“But at the end of the day it was your actions and no one else’s.”

Both crown prosecutor Matthew Sutton and defence barrister Joshua Morris agreed a wholly suspended jail term was the most appropriate penalty for this particular offending.

Fedele had no criminal history and this offending was extremely out of character, he worked full time and was highly thought of by his employer.

The court also heard after the incident he had contacted the police was but told he was not wanted.

Mr Morris argued it was “not a case of gratuitous street violence”, and that his client had been threatened – however Judge Rosengren did not accept this submission.

“It is street violence at a taxi rank,” she said, adding she accepted the push for a wholly suspended penalty.

The court heard Fedele had even offered to pay $10,000 compensation, which was considered as token of genuine remorse.

Judge Rosengren ordered he only pay $5000 in seven days. Fedele was jailed for 18 months wholly suspended for two years.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Mackay dad Anthony Fedele pleads guilty to grievous bodily harm at Airlie Beach