RELIEVED: Jodie Campbell with her partner Michael Green after yesterday’s sentencing of the two men who bashed Mr Green in 2008. Picture: Lachlan Bence
Watch a video report of bashing victim Mick Green and partner Jodie Campbell’s reaction to yesterday’s sentence below.
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THE partner of a man almost killed in a Wendouree bashing has described a jail sentence handed down to two perpetrators as ending four years of hell.
Judge Liz Gaynor told Paul Andrew Arthars, 39, and Corey John Plater, 41, their attack on Michael Green on October 4, 2008 with a martial arts bo-stick as he lay defenceless on the ground was brutal, cowardly and despicable.
Mr Green, a father of five, was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with multiple fractures and head injuries.
He required multiple surgeries and had to have part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain.
Mr Green’s partner Jodie Campbell, who was at the County Court at Melbourne yesterday, said she was happy with the outcome, but said the pain of the ordeal would never leave her family.
“Its never going to be the end, but we can move on now,” she said.
Alongside Mr Green in Ballarat yesterday, Ms Campbell told The Courier yesterday’s outcome ended almost four years of “hell” for the family.
“We were a winner the day that Mick woke up out of his coma and they told us he was going to come home,” she said.
“That’s when we became winners.”
She said her partner’s attackers deserved their sentence, but said they were welcome to return to Ballarat when their time had been served.
“I hate them with every breath I have ... they’re in jail now, they can’t hurt him now,” she said.
“We don’t have to worry about them – unless they appeal it of course.”
The court heard Mr Green was seen on the corner of Norman Street and Wattle Avenue about 12.30am on the night in question, calling out for Plater and banging a shovel on the ground.
Mr Green went home, where Plater was seen by a neighbour entering Mr Green’s front yard carrying a martial arts bo-stick.
As Plater approached, Arthars and three other men jumped out from behind a fence and started pushing and shoving Mr Green, then punching and kicking him once he’d fallen to the ground.
Both Plater and Arthars then used the bo-stick, delivering blows which sandwiched Mr Green’s head between the weapon and concrete.
Judge Gaynor told the court Mr Green, a father of five, was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with multiple fractures and brain injuries.
He required multiple surgeries and had to have part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain.
Judge Gaynor said the effect on Mr Green and his family had been “catastrophic”.
“You have robbed them of the partner and father that he was,” she told the defendants.
“Your attack upon him was both brutal and cowardly ... most of the damage was done when Mr Green was most vulnerable, lying on the ground.”
Ms Campbell told The Courier that doctors told her to switch off Mr Green’s life support on his first day in hospital.
“They said he wouldn’t make it, he had five per cent chance,” she said.
“When he beat that five per cent chance, I knew he would (recover) hands down.”
She said the family was taking “each day as it comes” and said Mr Green’s recovery continued to be a tough ride.
Judge Gaynor said Plater and Arthars had the support of their families and had good prospects for rehabilitation.
But she said a strong punishment was required.
“I am not satisfied your plea of guilty amounts to remorse,” she said.
Both men had previously pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury, while Arthars also pleaded guilty to trafficking cannabis and Platers pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis.
They were jailed for 10 years, with a non-parole period of seven years.
