Rival Ipswich neighbours ‘erupt’ over armed dispute with machete

A court has heard how a local neighbourhood “erupted” when two rival neighbours went “one-on-one’” with a baseball bat and machete.

A man has faced court for challenging his neighbour to a duke out. Photo: FILE/ iStock

An Ipswich man armed himself with a baseball bat to investigate an early morning disturbance, only to find his drunk neighbour who then challenged him to ‘one-on-one’ duke out with a machete.

Bundamba resident Phillip James Shaxson, 40, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on November 11 to going armed so as to cause fear, possession of utensils or pipes for use, and possession of dangerous drugs.

Crown prosecutor Shakirra Bassett said the prosecution had dropped an additional charge of threatening violence at night.

She said that on May 2, 2022, in Bundamba, Shaxson was drunk and sitting at the end of his neighbour’s driveway in the early hours of morning.

The neighbour came out with a baseball bat and torch and found Shaxson was now sitting in another neighbour’s garden.

Ms Bassett said he asked Shaxson “what the f**k are you doing” and told him “you have to stop this”.

Another neighbour then came outside and told the man to leave Shaxson alone, and further offered to call the police and walk Shaxson to his house.

However, Magistrate Robert Walker said a “fight erupted” between them when Shaxson mentioned the name of the other man’s daughter.

There was a short scuffle between the men, before they were broken up by their neighbour.

Shaxson then left to grab a machete from his home and returned, yelling “one-on-one” at his neighbour in challenge.

The other man allegedly ran at Shaxson with the baseball bat, and Shaxson backed down.

“The potential for things to get a whole lot worse was real,” said Mr Walker.

The police searched Shaxson’s house shortly after and found the machete, a bong and a container of 8g of cannabis.

Mr Walker said Shaxson’s criminal history demonstrated a “propensity for violent behaviour,” and included convictions for assault occasioning bodily harm in 2010, 2015 and 2018.

“One could be forgiven for thinking that you were heading down the same path,” he said.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said a witness’s account of events stated the neighbour had originally been accompanied by his son, also armed, and that they had been intentionally aggravating Shaxson with the torch.

He said Shaxon had made a comment about the son, who then “tackled him to the ground” before Shaxson ran to get the machete – but he acknowledged this was not a part of the official facts.

He said Shaxson had since moved out of the area, obtained employment and was “trying to move on with his life”.

Mr Fairclough also tendered letters of support from Shaxon’s mother and a neighbour who spoke highly of him.

Shaxson was sentenced to three months imprisonment, immediately suspended for 12 months, for the going armed so as to cause fear charge.

He was further fined $600 for the drug offences, and convictions were recorded.