Zachary Weldon faces court for alleged glassing at Oxford Hotel

Shocking CCTV footage played in court of a miner who smashed a schooner glass in the face of a former partner reveal how he swung into her as she tried to flee.

Zachary Wayne Thomas Weldon pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm. He smashed a schooner glass into his former partner's face at the Oxford Hotel in Rockhampton CBD.

CCTV footage played in court of a miner who smashed a schooner glass in the face of a former partner revealed how the he came from one side of a tree to swing into her as she tried to leave.

Zachary Wayne Thomas Weldon, 39, had been drinking at the Oxford Hotel in East St, Rockhampton, with the victim for many hours before to the glassing on October 21, 2022.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Godfrey told Rockhampton District Court the pair listened to music and discussed their 18-month long relationship which had ended six months prior.

He said the conversation between the pair escalated to a verbal argument and then the woman punched Weldon in the face.

Mr Godfrey said they continued to argue and the woman fell off her chair, landing on the ground and when she got back up, she punched Weldon again.

“The victim then walked away from the defendant, around the other side of the table with the intention of leaving the licensed premises,” he said.

This was when Weldon struck the victim with the glass.

She fell backwards into a high table first, and then hitting a chair as she fell to the ground, losing consciousness.

Patrons and staff could be seen rushing to her aid while two males reacted with intention to restrain Weldon, with one prepared to tackle him, but he stood back didn’t try to flee.

“She lost a significant quantity of blood,” Mr Godfrey said.

He said the woman sustained two lacerations to the left side of her face, 4.5cm long and 5mm wide, with surgery required to wash and close the wounds and a doctor commented the injuries would cause her serious disfigurement.

The woman, who now has a daily reminder of the assault from her scars, also lost a tooth which has cost her $3,236.40 in dental work.

Mr Godfrey told the court the woman’s victim impact statement talked of how her children now struggle to look at her face.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client, who has five children and was supported in court by his sister and her partner, “fell in with the wrong crowd” when he was younger, using illicit drugs in his teenage years to early 30s.

She said the former meatworker, who hopes to return to mining after his incarceration, had abstained from drugs since 2015 and underwent counselling in 2021 for alcohol and violence.

“He does recognise alcohol is a problem for him,” Ms Willey said.

Judge Jeff Clarke, who described this offending as a “gutless, cowardly, violent, disgraceful act” adjourned the sentence part heard to August 28.

Originally published as Zachary Weldon faces court for alleged glassing at Oxford Hotel