Moura’s Robert Daniel McArthur accused of throwing hot oil in woman’s face

A Central Queensland man charged over allegedly dousing a woman with hot cooking oil wanted to live in the same small town as his alleged assault victims.

Robert Daniel McArthur, 33, made a bail application in Rockhampton Magistrates Court during a committal hand-up for his charges, including one count of act intended to maim/disfigure - domestic violence offence, of which has a maximum sentence of Life in Prison.

A Central Queensland man charged over allegedly dousing a woman with hot cooking oil wanted to live in the same small town, population under 2000, as his alleged assault victims.

Robert Daniel McArthur, 33, made a bail application in Rockhampton Magistrates Court during a committal hand up for his charges, including one count of act intended to maim/disfigure – domestic violence offence, of which has a maximum sentence of Life in Prison.

His other charges include one count of choking/suffocation- DV, one of common assault -DV and one of wilful damage -DV.

The court heard the alleged hot oil – the act with intent to maim – took place on November 21, 2022, at Moura.

Defence lawyer Ashley Reynolds said the main charge could end up being downgraded to an assault occasioning bodily harm charge as there are no photographs of the alleged injuries or description on how the alleged injury was sustained.

She said the victim, in her statement, sets out that there was a lot of canola oil and she was cooking chips when Mr McArthur allegedly approached her from behind, pinned her up against the oven and used his right hand to strike the frying pan of hot oil onto her face and shoulders.

“There were blisters, she says, the size of five cent coins and they have impacted her face, her cheeks, her chin and her neck,” Ms Reynolds said.

She said the victim of the choking offence, in her statement, said that they had been talking about choking someone and the victim just thought it was a big joke and Mr McArthur used his forearm to hinder her breathing and “she has had a seizure, which she says has prevented her from breathing”.

Ms Reynolds said there were some questions a jury would need to consider such as the question of consent and the question of what caused the restriction of breath.

The court heard Mr McArthur had previously been convicted of choking.

Ms Reynolds told the court Mr McArthur would reside with his aunt, who lived next door to one of his victims, in the small town of Moura, which had a population of 1993 people at the 2021 Census.

She said he also has worked lined up.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe said there was no evidence of the employment and the proposed bail address was 800 metres from where both victims reside.

She said the local, limited, police had expressed concerns about the safety of the two victims if Mr McArthur returned to live at Moura.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale denied Mr McArthur bail, remanded him in custody and ordered him to stand trial in the higher courts at a date to be set.

Originally published as Moura’s Robert Daniel McArthur accused of throwing hot oil in woman’s face