Anthony Troy Deller pleads guilty to assault on mate with spiked timber plank

A Qld man exploded in anger against his friend of 20 years, bashing him with a piece of timber with nails sticking out and fracturing his elbow.

Sarina man Anthony Troy Deller pleaded guilty to a violent assault where he fractures his mate's elbow with a one-metre long wooden plank.

A Sarina father of three who was offered a home with a mate of 20 years after his release from jail exploded in anger one day after a fight, bashing his long-term friend with a spiked wooden plank.

The spur of the moment attack on November 19, 2023 left the victim with cuts, puncture wounds and a fractured elbow.

Anthony Troy Deller had known his victim for two decades and had been offered a room at his Sarina home 10 weeks before the assault after the 33 year old had been released on parole.

However Mackay Magistrates Court heard Deller soon put a strain on that friendship when he went missing for two weeks and failed to pay rent.

The offending took place after Deller, his victim and another went to buy groceries at the Sarina Woolworths - Deller had been impatient demanding the others to hurry up and for the victim’s car keys.

Back at the share house, tensions increased after Deller slammed the boot causing the victim to say “For f--ks sake don’t slam my boot”.

The court heard in response Deller dropped the bag of groceries he’s been holding on the ground and went to his room.

The victim told him “mate you need to pull your head out of your ass, you’re acting like children”.

Sarina man Anthony Troy Deller pleaded guilty to a violent assault where he fractures his mate's elbow with a one-metre long wooden plank.

“What c--t,” Deller replied, before running at the victim and yelling in his face while pushing his chest.

In response the victim told Deller “that’s it you can pack up your sh-t and leave”.

Prosecutor Sheena Gravino said Deller then tried to rip a babygate from the top of the stairs near where they were both standing, but was not able to so he picked up a one-meter long piece of timber with “several nails sticking out of it”.

Deller then went back to the victim and “forcibly swung timber toward (his) head”.

“The victim has raised his left arm up and that timber has connected with his arm... leaving several puncture wounds and fracturing (his) elbow,” Ms Gravino said.

Deller swung the timber a second time striking the victim’s head leaving a cut before two others were able to step in.

He pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm while armed.

ATSILS defence solicitor Geoff Govey said his client, a father of three, had a very prejudicial upbringing.

“Drugs and anger management are his primary concerns that he’s been trying to deal with,” Mr Govey said, adding Deller had a job to go to on his release.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan accepted Deller was remorseful.
“He was your mate for 20 years... the good thing is you didn’t go at him in a planned way with a knife or cricket bat,” Ms Hartigan said, accepting the weapon use was opportunistic.

“I’m sure you didn’t inspect it to know whether it had nails.

“I think you just wanted to hit him in the head of the moment.”

Deller was jailed for 18 months, which is cumulative to the jail term he was already serving, with parole eligibility in June 1, 2024.

A conviction was recorded and 90 days in pre sentence custody was deemed time already served.