Former Redland councillor Paul Anthony Gleeson charged with rape

An ex-councillor turned publican accused of rape and facing allegations he distributed images of a woman’s breasts has lost his first law firm. Read why here.

Former Redlands City councillor Paul Gleeson.

A former councillor turned publican has lost his first law firm after funds were refused to pay their travel expenses in his fight against rape allegations.

Former Redland City Councillor and Mount Morgan Railway Hotel publican Paul Anthony Gleeson, 52, has been charged with one count of rape.

According to court records, the rape allegedly took place in Mount Morgan on September 26, 2023.

Former Redlands City councillor and Mount Morgan Railway Hotel publican Paul Anthony Gleeson.

Mr Gleeson, a one-time LNP candidate for the state seat of Capalaba, was granted Legal Aid funding in September 2024 and allocated legal representation from Gatenby Criminal Lawyers on the Gold Coast.

During an update in the case heard in Rockhampton District Court on February 7, a representative from Gatenby Criminal Lawyers told the court Legal Aid had not only refused to fund travel expenses for them to represent Mr Gleeson during a vital pre-trial hearing scheduled for March 24, the organisation also rejected the appeal the law firm lodged.

The court heard the law firm has now told Legal Aid to reallocate Mr Gleeson’s case to another law firm.

Mr Gleeson’s matter was adjourned to February 13 to allow time for Legal Aid to reallocate his file to another law firm.

He was granted bail in the Supreme Court in December where the court heard he is also facing allegations and charges for distributing images of a woman’s breasts and allegedly posting comments about a woman on social media.

Michael Gatenby from Gatenby Lawyers told that court during that application that ban on posting comments about the woman was allegedly a condition of his bail when he was granted bail in December 2023.

Mr Gatenby submitted the comments alleged to have been posted online by Gleeson were “very tenuous” and unlikely to survive a “no case to answer” submission at committal.

“He posted various things which are said to be of, or about, the complainant,” Chief Justice Bowskill noted during the bail hearing.

Crown prosecutor John Tickle submitted that Gleeson “failed to appreciate the seriousness” of his bail conditions on the most serious charges – rape and distribution of an intimate image – when granted bail in 2023.

Chief Justice Helen Bowskill granted him bail on strict conditions including that Gleeson live with his brother in Cleveland in the City of Redland southeast of Brisbane, and he have no contact with his alleged victim.

Gleeson moved to Mount Morgan after losing the 2020 election, with The Mount Morgan Argus reporting him as the new publican of the Mount Morgan Railway Hotel in September 2021.

Mr Gleeson remains on bail.

Originally published as Former Redland councillor Paul Anthony Gleeson charged with rape