John Robert Paton pleads guilty to causing grievous bodily harm after man loses eye

Smoke from a bonfire sparked an argument between two neighbours, who armed themselves - one with a large knife, the other a metal pole. The clash resulted in a man losing an eye.

Smoke from a bonfire drifting over into a neighbour’s Eimeo property was enough to spark a vicious assault that resulted in a man losing his eye after he was struck across the face with a metal pole.

Victim Christopher Readman had been armed with a large sheathed knife and according to his attacker had been threatening to stab and cut him, a court heard.

Both he and John Robert Paton, then 21, had been standing in their own yards and Judge Brad Farr said the latter could have retreated.

Instead he, armed with a metal curtain rod, lashed out striking Mr Readman across the face – the victim instantly felt an explosive pain and liquid drain from his eye running down his face.

Now he suffered “nightmares and increased alcohol use” as well as lifelong financial impacts from his injury.

Mackay District Court heard there had been a bonfire on Paton’s property and smoke was drifting over into Mr Readman’s house and he became angry, wanting to speak with the former’s mother – this sparked an argument.

The court heard Mr Readman went inside his home and returned armed with a large hunting knife, which was never removed from its sheath.

As a result Paton armed himself with a metal curtain rod and his mother had been egging him on to hit him.

The victim walked outside his fence line on the nature strip, but did not enter Paton’s property, and was goading him “to fight him and threatened to use the knife”.

A neighbour unsuccessfully tried to intervene but eventually both men went back inside their yards.

Mr Readman returned to the fence line yelling abuse and Paton approached him, “lost self control” and swung the curtain rod striking his face.

The court heard the blow ruptured Mr Readman’s left eye, which had to be surgically removed, and he would need lifelong care for his prosthetic eye.

It also fractured his nose.

Paton, now 23, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on April 13, 2021. He initially downplayed his offending to police, claiming he acted in self defence for himself and his mum.

The court heard he had a nine-page criminal history and had previously spent time in jail.

Barrister Scott McLennan said his client’s mother had told her Mr Readman had allegedly been aggressive and threatening towards her in the past.

“So my client believed that to be true, I don’t know if it is or not,” Mr McLennan said.

The court heard he had an unfortunate upbringing and was exposed to violence and addiction.

“He is protective of his mother given the violence she has suffered … in the past,” Mr McLennan said.

“In my submission the (victim’s) conduct on this day was extremely provocative. It was highly threatening and he was very persistent.”

Mr McLennan said Paton alleged the victim had also yelled racial abuse and that his client had actually retreated initially.

The court heard a neighbour had described Mr Readman as “off chops” when wielding the knife.

“My client is very sorry Mr Readman lost his eye, he didn’t intend on that happening, nor did he intend on causing grievous bodily harm,” Mr McLennan said, conceding time behind bars was inevitable but argued for just three months citing “powerful mitigating factors”.

But Judge Farr labelled this “inadequate” but acknowledged Paton’s efforts towards rehabilitation in ceasing drug use, finding work and rejoining a church.

Judge Farr said Paton should have ignored Mr Readman “but you didn’t” instead he lashed out with the metal rod.

“The consequence was catastrophic,” Judge Farr said, adding it was relevant in determining any penalty.

“An argument between neighbours over something trivial is not uncommon, but the use of a weapon thankfully is.”

Judge Farr accepted the injury was not intentional but noted that the victim suffered ongoing trauma including psychological and emotional.

Paton had offered to pay $1000 compensation but Judge Farr jailed him for three years to serve eight months in jail.

A conviction was recorded and he was not ordered to pay any compensation.