A man has admitted he hit his victim with a metal pole in an unprovoked attack in daylight on a Ballarat North street, while his co-accused has pleaded not guilty.
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The 45-year-old victim suffered a fractured skull and wrist, and bleeding during the alleged attack - where his mobile phone and wallet was taken - on September 21.
He was treated at The Alfred hospital trauma centre where doctors inserted a plate in his head.
The victim told a committal hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Wednesday, he was walking along the residential street when an unknown person struck him from behind and hit him with the metal pole, causing him to fall to the ground.
The victim said as he lay on the ground his stolen Holden Commodore arrived and a male exited and started hitting him in the head.
He said he went to call triple-0 on his mobile phone, but the man with the metal pole took his phone and wallet.
A passerby told the court she saw someone get into the driver's seat of the Holden Commodore before leaving the scene and the victim was slumped against a letter box, bleeding.
She said the victim told her it was his car and he was worried his wallet was missing. The passerby called triple-0 for help.
After some negotiations, Alan Francis Tauschke, 23, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious injury and theft of the victim's mobile phone and wallet.
Brendan Gary Batchelor, 24, pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to the incident, and a further four charges on the day he was arrested on September 24.
The charges include armed robbery, recklessly causing serious injury, car theft, retention of stolen goods and possessing cannabis.
Batchelor's lawyer Manny Brennan argued his client should not stand trial.
He said there was an identity issue because the witness' statement mentions a third person, his client was not acting with the co-accused and there was insufficient weight to support the armed robbery charge.
Magistrate Ron Saines agreed with the prosecution these were matters for a jury, and there were sufficient facts that inferences could be drawn to prove the charges.
Batchelor, who is on bail, was committed to stand trial in the County Court, with a direction's hearing set for May 23.
Tauschke's plea hearing was set down for July 1 at the County Court in Ballarat. He was remanded in custody.
An application to have his case dealt with in the lower court was refused.
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