Central Queensland rural firey and cotton farmer Trevor Victor Brownlie, 66, ‘bashed’ after inappropriately touching 26-year-old woman

A member of the Rural Fire Service in Central Queensland has faced court on two charges which threatened his future involvement in the organisation. Full details here.

A member of the Rural Fire Service in Central Queensland and cotton farmer has faced court after he inappropriately touched a woman many years his junior.

Trevor Victor Brownlie, 66, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on May 11 to unlawful assault and breaking a bail condition.

The court heard the victim was a woman in her 20s.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said the two knew each other “through social circumstances”.

Sergeant Ongheen said the woman was at home on January 12 this year she invited Brownlie into her yard at about 9.30pm and had some drinks with him to thank him for helping her earlier that same week.

The prosecutor said the woman and Brownlie had “a couple of drinks” and spoke socially on the front patio until about 10pm when the woman said she was going to bed.

Sergeant Ongheen said Brownlie then left without incident.

He said the woman stated she had consumed two beers and Brownlie was “heavily intoxicated” when he left.

“A short time later, the victim was in bed - she was awoken by her dog and a knocking on the front door,” Sergeant Ongheen said.

“The victim has opened the front door and (Brownlie) was standing at the doorway.”

He said Brownlie asked the woman a question “following on from a previous conversation earlier that evening” about the hotel.

Sergeant Ongheen said the woman replied: “Not right now, it’s too late.”

The prosecutor said Brownlie stopped and looked at the door and said: “Your door is broken. Do you know that anyone could come in here and molest you?”

Sergeant Ongheen said the woman did not reply as she did not know what to say, and then said: “It is late, can we talk later.”

He said Brownlie then asked if he could come inside the house, and the woman said “no”.

“(Brownlie) has then reached forward with his right hand, holding a beer in a stubbie holder, and rubbed the victim’s right chest area with the back of his hand,” Sergeant Ongheen said.

“The victim states that she froze - it felt like almost 30 seconds before she said ‘you need to f--- off’ and shut the door.

“The victim locked herself inside the house, (Brownlie) left on foot.”

Sergeant Ongheen said the matter was reported to police on January 22 following “a related incident” involving Brownlie and the victim’s partner.

Brownlie declined to participate in an interview and was later arrested, charged and released on bail.

In relation to the breach of bail charge, the court heard that Brownlie had entered into a bail undertaking on February 14 at Theodore police station.

“It included three conditions and the condition breached by (Brownlie) is he must not go to any place where the victim is residing,” Sgt Ongheen said.

The prosecutor said on March 7, about 10pm, a large rock was thrown on the roof of the victim’s residence.

“The witnesses who were both inside at the time have gone outside to see who had thrown the rock,” Sergeant Ongheen said.

“No-one was seen and both have gone back inside the house.”

Sergeant Ongheen said only a few minutes later, and handful of smaller rocks were thrown onto the roof.

The woman and the other person again went outside to look, with the other person remaining outside in the dark.

About two minutes later, more rocks were thrown onto the roof of the house.

The person who was with the female victim went to a lane behind the house and saw Brownlie walking away towards his house about 25m away, Sergeant Ongheen said.

“That is the nature of the breach.”

The prosecution tendered Brownlie’s criminal history which it said was “extremely dated, not of a like nature, and almost irrelevant.”

Defence solicitor Jess King tendered three references to the court for Brownlie, including one from a Rural Fire Service inspector.

Ms King said in particular, she relied on the inspector’s reference, as Brownlie was engaged with the Rural Fire Service and if a conviction was recorded against him, it may impact his ability to continue being involved with that organisation.

“Taking into account the complete lack of criminal history in my submission, and the relatively minor nature of both the offences before you, in my submission Your Honour would be satisfied that this is an appropriate matter for you to exercise your discretion and not record convictions today,” Ms King said.

One of the documents tendered was a letter from a doctor, which Ms King said related to Brownlie’s recent mental health diagnosis.

“And perhaps the impact of that around the time of these offences occurring,” she said.

Ms King said Brownlie was born in Biloela but grew up in Theodore with his family.

“His parents, in 1949, started a cotton farm in Theodore, which he took over from his parents in 1983 when he was about the age of 30.

“He has worked that farm ever since - and one of his adult sons is now in the process of taking that over, and taking over that family business.”

Ms King said Brownlie had completed Year 12 at school, or the equivalent, and after that he worked for the Department of Primary Industries for about seven years.

“And then he travelled around Australia for about eight years working in various capacities in labouring and hospitality, and then when he came home, effectively he took over the family business and that is the area that he’s worked in since.”

Ms King said Brownlie married in 1991 and was with his wife for about 32 years - they had three children together.

“His marriage ended, or is in the process of ending,” Ms King said.

“He separated from his wife in December of last year, and in my submission Your Honour, that correlates or coincides with the doctor’s letter that has been handed up to you.”

Ms King added that letter detailed Brownlie had suffered with bouts of depression over the years.

“And he instructs that he has been medicated for periods of time as required.”

“In September of last year he was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder.

“And in November of last year he presented at his doctor’s in a manic, or experiencing mania such to that disorder.”

Ms King said Brownlie was subsequently medicated for that and had since stabilised.

“But in my submission, his recent diagnosis and the breakdown of his marriage perhaps provide an explanation for what seems to be completely out-of-character behaviours by him,” Ms King said.

“And Your Honour can also see the reference that is made within that letter, to out-of-ordinary behaviours that have been identified by others in the community.”

Ms King told Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale that while the first offence here, the unlawful assault, happened on January 12, there was “no immediate complaint to police.”

“And in my submission, that is an important feature for Your Honour to consider,” Ms King said.

“The complaint to police didn’t come until the 22nd of January - which is the day Mr Brownlie had gone out to his car, parked in the carport, and noticed the windscreen had been smashed.

“He saw the complainant in the common assault, she was nearby.

“He asked her if she knew anything about it - she said she didn’t.”

Ms King said Brownlie then indicated he would be making a complaint to police.

“The complaint to police in relation to the common assault was then made, prior to my client being able to attend the police station,” Ms King said.

“Subsequent to that, he (Brownlie) returned home in the evening and has been assaulted by the complainant’s partner which resulted in significant injuries including a fracture to his ribs and there are criminal charges outstanding in relation to that matter currently.

“There has been, what would seem to be, some significant extra-curial punishment which has been dished out to Mr Brownlie as a result of this common assault charge.”

Ms King said in relation to the breach of bail charge, Brownlie accepted the prosecution facts.

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Beckinsale said Brownlie had got to semi-retirement age “almost blemish free.”

“I accept the submission that it (offending) is not just out-of-character, but that you’ve addressed it and it’s unlikely to happen again,” Ms Beckinsale said.

She fined Brownlie $950 and did not record convictions.  

Originally published as Central Queensland rural firey and cotton farmer Trevor Victor Brownlie, 66, ‘bashed’ after inappropriately touching 26-year-old woman