Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Cassandra Morgan

'You'll do as you're told': Canberra high school teacher accused of assaulting woman

Timothy Egan, who was on Monday arrested on two assault charges. Picture: Instagram

A Canberra high school teacher of 27 years is accused of assaulting a woman after she refused to suck his thumb.

Timothy John Egan fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday via audio-visual link from a remote room.

Duty lawyer Solitaire Zahnleiter applied for bail on his behalf, and said the 47-year-old would likely plead not guilty to two charges: common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Ms Zahnleiter said Mr Egan denied allegations that he and a woman had been in bed at his home at Kambah last Friday afternoon when he slammed his elbow into her eye.

Police documents alleged Mr Egan and the woman had used "rough sexual practices" in the past, but she turned him down on this occasion when he shoved his thumb in her mouth and said "suck my thumb".

The documents alleged Mr Egan rolled on top of the woman and said, "Don't you ever say no to me, you'll do as you're told", before he punched her on either side of her head and they got into a physical altercation.

The woman told police Mr Egan pushed down on her collarbone and elbowed her in the face, and she "continually screamed" throughout the incident.

She said afterwards, when she showed Mr Egan her injured eye, he said: "I thought it would be worse than it was ... don't be a sook, it's not that bad."

The documents said the woman took a "selfie-style" photo of her injury with Mr Egan in the background giving the "thumbs up".

She later reported the alleged incident to police, and showed them a forwarded email in which Mr Egan allegedly said: "She just left here with a black eye. So I've figured out what the future holds for her."

The documents said Mr Egan told officers that he and the woman had been engaged in sexual acts on the bed when he said his ex-partner's name and they got into a physical altercation.

He said he had restrained the woman twice - once, because she had kicked and flailed her arms at him - and hit her on either side of her head.

In court on Tuesday, Ms Zahnleiter said Mr Egan also denied having substance abuse issues, which the author of a bail consideration form had identified.

Special Magistrate Margeret Hunter said, "I don't know what he teaches his students if that's the case", and noted Mr Egan was alleged to have a history of "controlling behaviour".

Regardless, she said any risk to the woman could be ameliorated by strict court orders.

The magistrate granted Mr Egan bail on conditions including that he provide $1000 to the court if he breached his bail, not contact the woman and not use illegal drugs.

Mr Egan will next appear in court on December 8.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.