Young man pleads guilty to choking, assault in Maroochydore court

A woman said she suffered from paranoia and nightmares after a man choked her and assaulted her after an argument over his refusal to clean up a bucket of vomit.

A man was sentenced after he choked a young woman inside her home

A court has heard how a young man choked a woman he argued with after refusing to clean up a bucket of vomit.

A 21-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to three charges in Maroochydore District Court on December 2 including one count of choking and one of assault occasioning bodily harm.

Crown prosecutor Elle Bolam told the court an argument started between the man and his victim after he left a bucket of vomit in a room after a drunken night.

The court heard the argument escalated into a physical altercation and the two struck each other until they laid down.

Ms Bolam said the man had been annoying the victim, so she began using her phone until the 21-year-old ripped it out of her hand and threw it under the bed.

He then reached out and choked her for about five seconds, the court heard.

Ms Bolam said the victim poked at his eyes and grabbed at him to get him to stop.

The man appeared in Maroochydore District Court on Tuesday. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Another physical struggle broke out and the victim lifted her arm to protect herself, resulting in the man kicking her forearm.

Ms Bolam read out the victim’s impact statement to the court, which entailed how the woman was scared of losing her life.

She read the woman now looks behind her shoulder from paranoia, suffers from nightmares and anxiety and often flinches around men.

A few quiet sobs could be heard from the public gallery where the victim was watching the proceedings.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown told the court his client had taken this matter seriously and understood his behaviour was wrong.

He said his client used his Job Seeker payment to fund counselling sessions and had an interview lined up for employment.

Judge Glen Cash told the court the 21-year-old had been diagnosed with ADHD but stopped taking medications months prior to the incident.

The man was sentenced to 18 months’ parole with immediate release and his two days in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.

A woman left the courtroom in tears after the sentence was handed down.

Originally published as Young man pleads guilty to choking, assault in Maroochydore court