A Toowoomba father who assaulted his daughter has faced court

A 42-year-old father inflicted violence on his daughter at least four times over three months. Find out what he said when the victim asked if he remembered hurting her.

A Toowoomba man who dragged his 15-year-old daughter and picked her up and dropped her during four shocking attacks has been sentenced to jail.

The 42-year-old, who is not named to protect the identity of the victim, had a history of violence including previous convictions for assault occasioning bodily harm arising from pub fights and other altercations, Toowoomba District Court heard.

Crown prosecutor Emily Coley said the teenager was included on a domestic violence order, which her father had breached when assaulting the girl’s mother in front of her.

The man, who spent 288 days in custody since his arrest, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and to one of common assault, all against the teenager.

Ms Coley said those incidents, which occurred between November 2021 and January 2022, included the man entering his daughter’s room and picking her up before dropping her to the floor; dragging her down stairs by the arm; dragging her across the family home’s yard during which her head struck a parked car and a tree; and blocking the teenager as she packed a bag to leave during yet another argument.

The man had alcohol issues and when the teenager asked him if he remembered what he had done and if he was sorry, he said he did remember and but he wasn’t sorry, the court heard.

“The repetition (of violence) is a most concerning feature,” Ms Coley said.

Defence barrister Jessica Goldie told the court there was some evidence of rehabilitation as her client had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous while in jail and was receiving counselling.

Judge Alexander Horneman SC described the man’s violence toward his daughter as “quite despicable”.

“Domestic violence is a scourge in our society,” he told the man.

Judge Horneman-Wren sentenced the man to two years in jail but, declaring the 288 day of pre-sentence custody as time served under the sentence, ordered he be released on parole immediately.