Matthew Chudleigh jailed for brutal attack with axe handle on stranger

A father who broke down a stranger’s door – demanding to know where he was hiding someone – savagely attacked the victim with an axe handle.

An armed arborist has no memory of breaking a man’s nose with the axe handle he was wielding.

Matthew Luke Chudleigh, 28, broke down the door of a stranger’s home and severely injured him during his vicious attack.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday heard Chudleigh was released on home detention bail on November 22 for multiple assault charges.

Matthew Chudleigh. Picture: Facebook

He chased a person down a Park Holme street the same day he was bailed and the person sought shelter at the victim’s house.

The next day Mr Chudleigh returned and attended the property where the person he chased had sought shelter.

He demanded to know where the victim was hiding the other man.

“You started bashing at the door, suddenly you broke through the door,” Magistrate Simon Smart said during sentencing.

The victim ran through the house and armed himself with an ornamental axe.

Chudleigh followed him to the backyard.

“You struck the complainant several times to his face and his body, you took up the axe handle and struck him with it,” Mr Smart said.

The victim suffered bruising and swelling to both eyes, lacerations and a broken nose.

“It’s fair to say it was a sustained and serious assault,” Mr Smart said.

The court heard the assault had a serious impact on the victim.

“When interviewed you claimed to have no memory of the incident,” Mr Smart said.

The Whyalla father pleaded guilty to trespassing and assault causing harm.

The court heard Chudleigh, who had previously worked in gardening and landscaping, had used methamphetamine since he was 19.

“You badly assaulted a man unknown to you in the sanctuary of his own home,” Mr Smart said.

Mr Smart sentenced Chudleigh to six months jail.

The sentence was suspended on a 12-month, $500 good behaviour bond, after Chudleigh served three months.

It was backdated to March 26.