Accused guilty of assault in car park

A MAN who hit a woman in the head with a plank of wood has been acquitted of rape.

Leroy Williams faced trial in the Townsville District Court, accused of raping a 46year- old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a car park in August 2016.

Williams pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm on the first day of the trial, after the charge was downgraded from grievous bodily harm.

Jurors heard Williams and the woman had both been part of a group of people drinking at a “known Townsville drinking spot” at the corner of Woolcock St and Charters Towers Rd when Williams hit the woman in the head in a car park.

The Crown alleged he then raped her but defence barrister Michael Hibble told the court the rape did not happen and said jurors needed to consider the credibility of the woman’s evidence.

The jury began their deliberations yesterday morning and returned a not guilty verdict before lunch.

Williams was then sentenced for the assault, which the court heard involved him hitting the victim with the plank hard enough to break her cheekbone.

Judge William Everson sentenced Williams to 612 days’ jail, the amount of time he has already served.

He was expected to be released from custody yesterday.