Scott Anthony Fuller faces Toowoomba Magistrates Court for serious assault person over 60, obstruct police

A former Roma man has faced court for gouging the eyes of his 61-year-old stepfather after an argument with his mother turned violent.

In a rage after learning his mother had made contact with his ex-partner without his permission, a Roma man seriously assaulted his stepfather by gouging his eyes when he tried to intervene in the argument.

Scott Anthony Fuller was at his parent’s Roma home on January 29, 2022, when about 4pm he and his mother began arguing, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on Monday.

The 39-year-old was upset his mother had made contact with his ex-partner, and mother of two of his children, without first informing him, police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden said.

After abusing his mother, the court was told Fuller had pushed his mother, causing his stepfather to intervene in the altercation.

Fuller then threatened the 61-year-old victim, telling him “I’ll deal with you later” before the altercation became physical on the back patio of the property.

“The victim has then told (Fuller) to leave the house … the defendant then attacked the victim, grabbing and ripping his shirt and pushing him up against a pole,” Sergeant Bugden said.

“He has punched the victim in the rib area and attempted to push him from the patio with the victim rolling onto a pole to prevent being pushed off.”

Fuller managed to push the victim off the patio, and he landed on some outdoor furniture with Fuller landing on top of him.

Sergeant Bugden said during the tussle Fuller had then gouged the eyes of the victim with his thumbs, and the pair continued to wrestle until Fuller’s mother called police.

The court was told Fuller was found and arrested at a nearby property, struggling against and abusing officers while being arrested and in custody.

In court, over the phone from hospital, Fuller pleaded guilty to seriously assaulting a person over 60 and obstruct police.

Fuller’s solicitor Troy Krahenbring told the court his client, a father of four, had become angry at his mother “interjecting” herself into making contact with his former partner.

But Fuller accepted he had handled himself and his emotions poorly on the day.

Mr Krahenbring said his client had suffered a number of serious injuries, including compound fractures and his right femur displaced from his hip, after he crashed the truck he was driving into a ditch avoiding a collision with another car about four months ago.

That had seen him undergo six major surgeries at St Vincent’s Hospital, Toowoomba, where he remained.

Magistrate Clare Kelly sentenced Fuller to six months jail, suspended for 18 months.