An anti-vaxxer assaulted his fiancé during an argument because she wanted their two children to get vaccinated against Covid.
Matthew James Lowe, 36, from West Launceston in Tasmania plead not guilty to common assault on Thursday over the incident on November 24, 2021.
The court heard Lowe had ‘rigid’ opinions on vaccination but that his partner of 10 years did not hold the same views and secretly got vaccinated for Covid-19, reports The Mercury.
He also wanted their two children to be home-schooled rather than getting vaccinated, which his fiance also disagreed with.
On the day of the assault an argument had erupted between the pair over the children’s vaccination status, prompting Lowe’s fiancé to covertly record their conversation on her phone.
When Lowe realised she was recording the argument he grabbed her phone and attempted to delete the audio which then escalated into a scuffle.
Matthew James Lowe, 36, from West Launceston in Tasmania plead not guilty to common assault on Thursday over the incident on November 24, 2021
During the fight Lowe’s fiance suffered bruising and scratches to her neck and carpet burns on her knees.
The court heard both agreed that she had spat in his face but had different accounts of what happened when he attempted to get in his car and leave.
His fiance claimed the argument continued in the garage where he threw her to the ground and placed his hands on her neck, briefly choking her until she couldn’t speak.
He denied this and said he had dragged her across the ground when he picked up his car keys and she attempted to grab them back, which caused the injuries.
The magistrate found these events were a case of Lowe’s word – despite a ‘rehearsed’ tone to his testimony – against his fiance’s, with her injuries the only evidence to back up her claim.
He did, however, note they both agreed he had snatched her phone and pushed her when she tried to get it back, which he found he was not entitled to do.
On the bases of this, Lowe was found guilty of common assault but not guilty of the choking claim as it could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lowe was fined $800 and a conviction was recorded.
