Hayden Lee Henderson in court for burglary, assault

A prospective fitness industry worker who had to be hospitalised after trying to choke a police dog, bite its head, punch and gouge its eyes, is back in court. Here is the latest.

A father of three who once attempted to choke a police dog during a pursuit has faced court again, this time charged with terrorising his former partner with a knife.

Hayden Lee Henderson, 32, pleaded guilty to common assault and burglary when he faced Hervey Bay District Court this week.

The court heard Henderson’s offences began he turned up at the home of his former partner and “effectively moved … back in” despite her protests.

Three days later, he got into an argument with her.

The woman left the house but returned a short time later and assumed he had left.

She locked the doors of the house and went to leave, then saw Henderson standing outside, the court heard.

When she tried to go back into the house and lock him outside, he “barged past her,” forcing his way inside, the court heard.

Henderson then verbally abused her and threatened her, the court was told, before he went into the kitchen and picked up a bread knife.

When she tried to leave, Henderson stood in her way with the knife, the court heard.

The woman said she would scream if Henderson didn’t let her leave, to which he replied “you’d better make it a good one, because it’s the only one you’ll get”.

He then pointed the knife at himself threatening to self-harm.

Henderson then put the knife up to the woman’s face and said “something threatening to her”, although she did not take that seriously, the court heard.

Police attended a few days later and Henderson was arrested.

The court heard Henderson had an extensive criminal history, including offences of violence.

He was first sentenced to imprisonment at 19 for offences of robbery and assault occasioning bodily harm.

Henderson had also been previously convicted of serious assault and weapons offences.

In 2016, he pleaded guilty to two counts of serious assault on a police officer, obstructing police and four counts of breaching bail conditions.

At the time, police prosecutor Wayne Bushell said police had stopped Henderson and two other people in Urangan when Henderson fled.

Police gave chase and the dog squad was called in, including belgian malinois Arkie and his handler, Brendon Dellow.

Sgt Bushell said the pair chased Henderson to the Esplanade in Urangan when Henderson threw a “haymaker” punch at Senior Constable Dellow, who was able to dodge it.

Arkie stepped in to protect his master, latching on to Henderson‘s hamstring.

“He made attempts to choke the dog,” Sgt Bushell said.

“He also bit the head of the police dog.”

Sgt Bushell said during the struggle Henderson also punched Arkie and gouged at his eyes.

The struggle left Arkie with minor injuries while Henderson was hospitalised.

Magistrate Graeme Tatnell sentenced Henderson to six months prison for those offences.

In 2017, he was convicted of assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to another woman he had been in a relationship with, the court heard.

He also served time in jail for that offence.

Since then Henderson had been convicted of drug offences, weapons offences and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

On August 26, 2021, Henderson was sentenced in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court for possessing dangerous drugs while in custody.

He was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Henderson breached the suspended sentence when he committed the new offences, the court heard.

Judge Vicki Loury said if Henderson, a father of three, continued to offend he would spend longer and longer in prison.

He only had contact with his youngest child, but that would not continue if he was behind bars, Judge Loury said.

He needed to do something about his underlying problems, which seemed to relate to drug use and his inability to cope with the end of his relationships, she said.

Judge Loury said she understood Henderson had been employed when he was previously released from jail and had prospects for employment in the fitness industry upon his release after completing a Certificate II in Business.

“I would hope that means you have turned a corner and are focused on fitness rather than filling your body with illicit substances,” she said.

Henderson was given a head sentence of two years in prison and the suspended sentence of three months was activated.

The 223 days Henderson had spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.

A parole release date was set for August 15, 2022.