Brave Samaritan saves Toowoomba woman after hours long domestic violence attack

Despite a Toowoomba woman slashing open a tent to flee her violent ex-partner, the man hunted her down and forced her into a car. Here’s what a court heard happened next during the chilling hours-long assault.

Former Department of Main Roads worker Scot Garner, pleaded guilty to the DV crimes on Monday March 4, however he was sentenced before the Toowoomba District Court on Wednesday, March 6.

After spending more than a year in custody, a serial domestic violence offender was deemed eligible to apply for parole after pleading guilty to horrific acts of DV perpetrated against a Toowoomba woman.

At Toowoomba District Court on Monday, March 4, Scott Anthony Garner pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault and one charge of strangulation.

The court heard the 42-year-old father was charged with another serious domestic violence crime, however the charge was dropped because Garner agreed to plead guilty to the less serious charges.

The court heard the pair had been in an on-again-off-again relationship for more than three years, however 10 days after the pair ended the relationship they agreed to meet in Toowoomba in May 2022.

Former Department of Main Roads worker Scot Garner, pleaded guilty to the DV crimes on Monday March 4, however he was sentenced before the Toowoomba District Court on Wednesday, March 6.

Reign of terror

Garner’s reign of terror against the woman began inside a tent at 4.30am, and ended hours later by a roadside when a concerned driver noticed the woman’s legs dangling a car door.

Crown Prosecutor Nathan Crane said the pair drank heavily before deciding to pitch a tent at a Toowoomba oval.

The woman woke to Garner attacking her and calling her degrading names.

Mr Crane said Garner prevented her from leaving the tent during the beating, forcing the woman to slash a hole in the canvas to escape.

However, Garner quickly caught up to her and began punching her to the face, ears, and head with both fists.

When she tried to shield herself, Garner yelled, “put your hands down, I’ll smash your f---ing face in”.

Former Department of Main Roads worker Scot Garner, pleaded guilty to the DV crimes on Monday March 4, however he was sentenced before the Toowoomba District Court on Wednesday, March 6.

Mr Crane said Garner was known to be jealous and often accused the woman of cheating, which was a motivator to taking her phone – along with preventing her from calling for help.

When the sun came up about 6.30am the woman was forced into a car, and Garner demanded her phone on a number occasions.

The court heard she was trapped in the car which was traveling at very high speeds, however Garner pulled the car over a number of times to beat the woman and attempt to go through her phone.

The last time Garner pulled the car over, the woman opened the passenger door in an attempt to flee.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” he told her.

She tried to unbuckle her seatbelt but her shirt became tangled during a struggle.

Garner then put her in a chokehold until her eyes rolled back into her head and black spots appeared in her vision.

The court heard the protracted and brutal violence came to an end after Garner was confronted by a “brave” man who noticed the woman’s legs hanging outside the passenger door.

When he yelled at Garner to stop, the woman fell from the car onto the roadside, and Garner fled in the car.

It took police two months to track him down.

Former Department of Main Roads worker Scot Garner, pleaded guilty to the DV crimes on Monday March 4, however he was sentenced before the Toowoomba District Court on Wednesday, March 6.

Serial domestic violence offender

The court heard Garner’s criminal history was littered with violent domestic crimes against numerous women, and he spent time in jail for it in the past.

Judge Benedict Power KC said the woman suffered a number of injuries and would have been terrified throughout the ordeal.

He noted despite the extremely serious circumstances of the case, he was only able to sentence Garner on three charges he was arraigned on.

He sentenced Garner to a four year jail term and declared the 589 days spent in pre-sentence custody as time served.

He was deemed eligible to apply for parole.

Judge Power told Garner he needed to address his anger issues, treatment of women, and childhood trauma if he had any chance of the parole board signing off on his parole application.

Upon Garner’s release from prison, he intends to resume his job at the Department of Main Roads, where he was working to obtain further qualifications and become a project manager.