Samuel James Collins jailed for choking girlfriend after Rockhampton Show

A day of fun at an agricultural show followed by a few drinks at a sports bar led to a horrifying incident that has left one woman with nightmares and living in fear.

Samuel James Collins, 22, faced Rockhampton District Court this week for choking is then girlfriend twice after the annual Rockhampton Agricultural Show and post show drinks at a sports bar on June 17, 2023.

A day of fun at an agricultural show followed by a few drinks at a sports bar led to a horrifying incident that has left one woman with nightmares and living in fear.

The details were revealed when Samuel James Collins, 22, faced Rockhampton District Court this week for choking his then girlfriend twice after the annual Rockhampton Agricultural Show and during post-show drinks at a sports bar on June 17, 2023.

Chief Judge Brian Devereaux said Collins, then 21, was living in shared accommodation at Gracemere at the time of the offending.

He said Collins and his then girlfriend, who was 18, had been at the Rockhampton Show, then drank alcohol at a sports bar before going to Collins’ home.

Judge Devereaux said the pair got into an argument where Collins called her names and she responded by grabbing his phone and throwing it under the TV, which upset Collins more.

“You grabbed her by the throat and slammed her up against the wall,” he said.

“She slapped you to try to get you away but you applied pressure to the throat for about a minute during which time you would sometimes loosen it so she could breathe and then reapply.”

Collins then threw the young woman on the ground and knelt on her shoulder and arm, causing bruising, as she lay on her back.

He snatched her phone and damaged it before choking her again, this time for about 30 seconds.

Once freed, she called the police immediately.

Collins provided no explanation for his offending, which Judge Devereaux said was worrying.

“Unless you can understand how this happened, you can’t do something about the reasons that made it happen,” he said.

“Your actions were very dangerous.

“Choking somebody demonstrates an escalation of domestic violence and could kill them.”

‘I FEAR... HE IS GOING TO HURT OR KILL ME, OR GET SOMEONE TO’

The woman’s suffering following the horrific incident was revealed when her victim impact statement was read out to the court.

“The actions of Mr Collins have had a great impact on my life,” she said in her statement.

“Since Mr Collins committed the crime, I have had trouble with sleeping, having nightmares about what’s going to happen when he gets out of prison and fearing he is going to hurt or kill me, or get someone to do this for him.

“Although Mr Collins is in custody, I no longer feel safe to go out in public as I fear I will run into him and that will all happen again.

“I’m extremely fearful.

“Mr Collins’ actions have also had an emotional impact on myself and my family.

“I was and continue to be upset and hurt as a result of what happened.

“This hurt has caused misunderstandings and fights with my family as they did not understand why I was feeling the way I was.

“It was not until after I told them what happened that they understood that the damage was already done and arguments continued with my family, causing breakdowns in our relationships.

“I’ve lost the bond I once had with my mum.

“I also paid to stay in hotels after the incident so Mr Collins did not know where I was.

“I wanted to keep myself safe.

“This was a huge financial burden to me.

STAY OUT OF MY LIFE

“The impacts of Mr Collins’s actions will live with me for years to come and I do not believe I will ever fully recover.

“My main wish I wish to put to Mr Collins is that he stays out of my life and respects this.”

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client, an only child whose father died a few years ago and stepfather died in 2022, was supported in court by his mother, aunt, uncle and friends.

She said his mother has osteoporosis, has a titanium hip and is reliant on a wheelchair permanently.

Ms Willey said Collins has not had any issues with alcohol apart from the night of the offending.

She said her client had work lined up for his release from prison, picking up orange electric scooters from around town and planned to look after his mother.

Judge Devereaux sentenced Collins to 2.5 years prison, declared 341 days presentence custody as time already served and ordered him to be released immediately on parole.

Originally published as Samuel James Collins jailed for choking girlfriend after Rockhampton Show