Brodie Hutchison sentenced for violent assault on father at Port Pirie
A man tackled his “extremely fearful” father and choked him, before standing over him with a knife in a calculated meth-fuelled attack.
Upper Spencer Gulf
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A man has escaped jail for tackling his father to the ground and choking him after hearing his land had been sold.
The Adelaide District Court heard Hutchison, who had been living with his father, was having a dispute with him about a shed and land in Port Pirie he was struggling to make repayments on.
“Your father eventually took over the mortgage repayments,” Judge Ian Press said during sentencing.
Hutchison became very angry when his father told him on March 2, 2021 he had sold the land.
“You assaulted your father by tackling him to the ground and choking him with both hands for about 30 to 40 seconds,” Judge Press said.
“As he was gasping, you released your grip voluntarily and stood up.
“At least momentarily, it appears you came to your senses.”
The court heard the argument recommenced and Hutchison told his father he “had someone lined up to kill him”.
Hutchison’s father then went to bed and woke to find him standing over him with a kitchen knife, threatening to kill him if the property was sold.
“He was understandably extremely fearful for his safety at the time of the offending,” Judge Press said.
“Waking your father while standing over him with a knife was a calculated decision on your part to maximise the fear he felt.”
Hutchison’s father’s neck was sore after the incident and he suffered bruising to his nose, neck and hip.
The Stirling North father pleaded guilty to two counts of assault.
Hutchison was arrested and tested positive to methamphetamine, which Judge Press said was of “particular concern”.
“I am sure, one of the reasons you acted so aggressively and irrationally on that night, even if you had not consumed methamphetamine on that day,” he said.
“To be upset about the land being sold is one thing, but to attack and threaten your father in the way you did was a very different thing.”
The court heard Hutchison, who had spent the last month in custody, issued a heartfelt apology to his father in court.
Judge Press sentenced him to four months’ jail.
Due to Hutchison’s remorse and good prospects of rehabilitation, it was suspended on a $100, 12-month good behaviour bond, with supervision.
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