A man accused of assaulting a woman and threatening her with a firearm is facing multiple domestic violence charges in Townsville.
It’s alleged the 29-year-old man assaulted the woman on Tuesday afternoon, before leaving the home in a vehicle, taking their toddler with him.
Police were called and prioritised an immediate, coordinated response, deploying all available crews to locate the man and child.
Officers intercepted the vehicle a short time later, allegedly locating a knife and baseball bat in the vehicle and a firearm at a residence which they will allege belong to the man.
The child was unharmed, while the woman was transported to Townsville University Hospital for assessment.
A 29-year-old Townsville man was charged with two counts each of assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence) and contravening a domestic violence order, and one count each of strangulation (domestic violence offence), common assault (domestic violence offence), deprivation of liberty (domestic violence offence), and threatening violence (domestic violence offence).
The man was denied police bail and is due to re-appear in Townsville Magistrates Court today.
Investigations are ongoing and further charges may be laid.
Domestic Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Unit Officer in Charge Acting Sergeant Kallan Drury says the arrest of the man and safe return of the toddler was a great outcome.
“This was an outstanding combined response by general duties officers, detectives and the tactical crime unit to ensure the man was taken into custody as quickly and safely as possible,” she says.
“Domestic violence is a scourge on society and often has lifelong impacts on the victims and children.
“Townsville police are committed to protecting the victims of the cowardly crime that is domestic violence and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
“Everyone has the right to live without fear of domestic and family violence.”
