Ipswich man Leigh Daniel Farmer in court for assaulting neighbour

An Ipswich man wildly overreacted to his neighbour’s daughter’s noisy party, savagely bashing the 55-year-old, a court has heard.

Enraged by a noisy party the night before, an Ipswich alcoholic savagely bashed his 55-year-old neighbour whose daughter hosted the party, beating him until his glasses and hearing aid broke.

Redbank Plains man Leigh Daniel Farmer, 39, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday to offences including burglary, assault occasioning bodily harm, wilful damage, public nuisance, and threatening violence.

The offences of violence were committed against his 55-year-old neighbour on Saturday, December 5 last year about 5pm.

The court heard Farmer was reacting to his victim’s 20-year-old daughter’s noisy party held the night prior.

Prosecutor Sgt Chris O’Neill said Farmer verbally confronted the 55-year-old man who was sitting in an open garage after originally banging on a window, damaging a flyscreen when he saw the man’s daughter inside the house.

He continued ranting and yelling at the terrified daughter about the party and the father told Farmer to calm down.

The man flinched when Farmer raised his arm as if to punch him, the court heard.

Farmer then pulled back and laughed before punching the man in the head and face multiple times.

The man’s glasses and the $5000 hearing aid were broken.

Farmer continued punching the man who was unable to see or hear.

During the assault Farmer kicked a barbecue and his sneaker got stuck and lodged there.

The struggle continued out on the driveway with Farmer continuing to hit the man.

He knocked over the wheelie bins pushing the man on top of them, and kicked the letterbox destroying it, the court heard.

The man’s screams for help caused neighbours to come running.

Farmer went across to his own house then began throwing full cans of Bourbon at the neighbour’s house.

Two cans hit the roof and one can struck the man’s car, spraying alcohol.

When police attended, Farmer was seen to drive away from his home residence in a white Hilux ute.

Later that night he returned and began yelling abuse at the neighbour whose daughter was at the house.

Farmer was heard yelling “I’ve gone and got a nine millimetre and I’m going to use it.”

Police were called back to the house and Farmer was arrested and charged with a drink driving offence after giving an alcohol reading of 0.108 per cent BAC.

Sgt O’Neill said the incidents could not be described as being out of character in what had been an harassing incident.

He said Farmer had a criminal history for violence that includes assaults causing bodily harm, and assaulting police officers.

Defence lawyer Emily Fackender of Hans Legal sought immediate parole, saying the offence was unusual in nature and Farmer had since demonstrated an ability to reform with “significant rehabilitation efforts”.

Ms Fackender said the garage door had been open and it was not like a forced entry in a home invasion scenario.

She conceded it would have been traumatic for the residents.

She said Farmer had long standing issues with alcohol since the age of 13 when growing up “essentially a street kid”.

Ms Fackender outlined his efforts with a mental health care plan and the support of his church members.

She said Farmer earned $2000 a week and was keen to pay restitution for the damage he caused.

Magistrate Andy Cridland told Farmer he had a woeful history in different states including Victoria and Northern Territory.

He said his behaviour had been very alarming.

Mr Cridland said it required a deterrent with actual jail time that he would reduce given his efforts since.

For assault causing bodily harm Farmer was sentenced to a 14-month jail order.

Concurrent sentences of nine months jail were imposed for entering the dwelling, and for threatening violence, with lesser penalties on the other charges.

He will receive parole on January 24 next year.

No order was made about restitution given his lack of capacity to pay while in jail.