A WENDOUREE man nearly died four times after a vicious 2008 bashing, the County Court at Ballarat heard yesterday.
Michael Green was also left with an acquired brain injury, limited speech and post traumatic epilepsy after he was attacked in Norman Street on October 5, 2008.
Corey Plater, 41, of Norlane has pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury and possession of a drug of dependence.
Crown prosecutor Timothy Hoare told the court Mr Green had been at a work break-up before he was seen on the corner of Norman Street and Wattle Avenue about 12.30am, calling out for Plater and his wife Louise and banging a shovel on the path and gutter.
Mr Green then returned home, where his neighbour saw Plater entering Mr Green’s front yard carrying a martial arts bow stick, which has a thick, shovel-like handle.
The neighbour saw an unsteady and wobbly Mr Green appear in his driveway, as well as five other people hiding behind her fence.
Mr Hoare said the men jumped out and started pushing and shoving Mr Green, before he was punched and kicked several times.
He said Mr Green was kicked backwards so his head hit the concrete, and he was struck a number of times to the head with both the martial arts bow stick and a bat.
The men then all ran off, leaving Mr Green unconscious in the driveway.
He was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with multiple fractures and brain injuries
Mr Hoare said a martial arts bow stick was later found hidden at Plater’s house which had the victim’s DNA on it.
“This was an alcohol fuelled group attack using weapons to attack the head of a prone victim,” Mr Hoare said.
Plater’s defence lawyer Chris Pearson said Plater, who left school at 14, had been an alcoholic until 2009 and had been disowned by his mother since the assault.
Mr Pearson said Mr Green’s partner Jodie Campbell and Plater’s wife Louise had been friends until they fell out because both their daughters liked the same boy.
In June 2008, Plater was told his pregnant daughter Amy had been assaulted by Ms Campbell and needed to be taken to hospital.
“It was an entirely toxic situation over these childish squabbles,” Mr Pearson said.
On October 4, Louise Plater had gone out and Plater had begun drinking early in the afternoon.
“He was woken up by a person swearing and cursing in the streets, calling out to Louise and Corey and calling them dogs,” Mr Pearson said. “They were taunting comments. Mr Green was swaying, aggressive and drunk.”
Mr Pearson said Plater went to Mr Green’s house but didn’t arrange for the others to come.
He said Plater was at a loss to explain how the assault happened and said he was concerned he had killed Mr Green.
“He didn’t mean to cause the injuries he did. It caused relationships in the community to fragment even further.”
But Judge Liz Gaynor said she was very concerned about the aftermath of this incident.
“The Campbell family and the people who helped them have been put in fear,” Judge Gaynor said.
Plater’s father, Ron, told the court he didn’t like the community his son lived in.
“The area where they lived is like a ghetto,” Mr Plater said.
“They get off on abusing one another but they had to live somewhere and they were trying their best to live there without getting too involved.”
Plater has been remanded in custody for sentencing on June 1.