Bruce Roland Carter, from Picnic at Hanging Rock and Last Cab to Darwin, bit the ears off a Good Samaritan who came to his aid
A SOUTH Australian actor who starred in the Picnic at Hanging Rock TV series left a Good Samaritan with an “ear dangling from his face” in an unprovoked and drunken biting attack, a court has heard.
- Actor denied bail over ‘ear-biting assault’ at Murray Bridge
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A GOOD Samaritan used “all of his energy and might to run for his life” from a drunk, drugged actor who bit off his ears in a vicious and unprovoked attack, a court has heard.
On Tuesday, counsel for Picnic at Hanging Rock, Cargo and Last Cab to Darwin cast member Bruce Roland Carter said their client was sincerely remorseful for his criminal actions.
They told the District Court that Carter was a talented actor, vocalist, guitar player and artist who would, in time, assume a leadership role within the community.
Prosecutor Jacqueline Fong, however, painted a very different picture of Carter, saying he had multiple arrests and convictions for assault matters since 2008.
She said there “could be no doubt” his “extremely serious offending” deserved no less than immediate imprisonment.
“There appears to be an escalating, violent offending history … it has escalated to this point, where he has bitten off his victim’s ears,” she said.
“The victim used all his energy and might to run for his life … his right ear was repaired, his left ear had to be amputated — the top part of it was recovered by police at the scene.
“His mother saw him with his ear dangling from his face.”
Carter, 36, of Murray Bridge, played Tracker Joe in Showcase’s Picnic at Hanging Rock miniseries, and Noel in Last Cab to Darwin.
He also appeared as the character Willie in Cargo, a post-apocalyptic film starring The Hobbit and Black Panther actor Martin Freeman.
Carter pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally causing serious harm to another person and one aggravated count of assault.
Ms Fong said the charges arose from an incident that occurred after Carter crashed his car crash at Murray Bridge on September 17, 2017.
She said the victim went to assist Carter — who had a blood-alcohol level of 0.128 — only to be grabbed in a headlock, repeatedly punched and bitten.
“The victim has suffered not only the excruciating pain of having his ears bitten off and going through multiple surgeries thereafter,” she said.
“He has also suffered psychologically … this has had a ripple effect upon his life … this has had a devastating, profound impact on the victim.”
Mike Norman, for Carter, reiterated his client’s remorse and said he continued to enjoy the support of his family, community and agents, Sue Barnett and Associates.
“He is passionate about his people and passionate about the effects of the last 220 years on his people,” he said.
“I’ve no doubt in my mind that, in 10 or 20 years’ time, he will be a leader of his people like his grandfather was.”
Mr Norman said the death of Carter’s grandfather — a “champion of the Aboriginal community and greatly respected elder” — began his client’s downward spiral.
He said that was exacerbated by injuries suffered in a hit-run incident which led to Carter “hitting the grog big time” and ingesting “an amazing cocktail of drugs”.
Judge Simon Stretton said that was no excuse, noting it to be yet another example of the effect drugs such as ice have on people’s lives.
“In this case, it has wrecked two lives,” he said.
He remanded Carter in custody for sentencing next week.