Brothers Dillon Kilpatrick and Tallen Kilpatrick found guilty of causing harm with intent and theft

A man who was viciously bashed with a shovel over a drug debt said his sibling attackers have shown no remorse, while his brother who witnessed it still has nightmares.

Two Whyalla men who brutally bashed a man with a shovel over a $200 debt left his brother who witnessed the attack fearing they would seek revenge after being released from jail.

Brothers Tallen ‘Red Dog’ Kilpatrick and Dillon Kilpatrick changed the lives of another set of siblings, victims Philip and Brenton How, with their vicious joint enterprise.

Philip was flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with injuries including a broken jaw following the attack – which occurred on March 21, 2020 in Whyalla Norrie.

Brenton had his motorbike, valued at $2000, stolen by the brothers.

Victim impact statements were read to the District Court on Tuesday by prosecutor Patrick Mulverhill.

Tallen Kilpatrick was found guilty of causing harm with intent and theft. Photo: Facebook

Philip said he needed two surgeries and months in recovery after the assault and had to live in a small town where the defendants were also living.

“I’ve had to relive those events which have again resurfaced, the trauma of which I had put aside and tried not to think about,” he said.

“You show no guilt or remorse for your actions … no care but for yourself.”

Brenton said he was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and now sees the world as a more dangerous place.

“I have recurring dreams about the assault on my brother and wake up screaming,” he said.

“I worry about when they get out of prison and whether they will seek revenge.”

During the brothers’ trial, Philip said he was woken by Brenton who alerted him Dillon was at their door.

The court heard after a verbal disagreement Philip was chased into his backyard by the Kilpatrick brothers and another man.

“An ice pick was thrown at the back of my head, I ducked and it missed, then I was hit in the back of the head by a shovel,” Philip said.

“Then I was grabbed in a headlock by Dillon who strangled me and dragged me across the (backyard) sandpit area.”

Tallen also assaulted Philip and Brenton’s mother, Kerrie Shaddock, following the incident after she went to his house to square a $200 debt that Philip owed.

The court heard that for a year leading up to the backyard assault, Philip regularly purchased around $1000 of meth a fortnight from Tallen.

The Kilpatrick brothers’ lawyers offered ulterior motives for the incident including a hotel car park burnout that Philip allegedly performed near Tallen’s girlfriend.

A jury found the Kilpatrick brothers guilty of all charges – causing harm with intent, theft and assault over the incident.

On Tuesday, Alexander Rice, for Tallen, told the court his client was attempting to rehabilitate from his drug use, which commenced in his teenage years.

The court heard Tallen had work available to him at a crane hire company once released from custody.

“He still has support from the community and a soccer club that he’s been a part of and participated in for a number of years,” Mr Rice said.

Judge Paul Cuthbertson adjourned Dillon’s sentencing submissions until next month.