Ashton James Pender sentenced for bringing meat cleaver to brawl in Roma

Members of the Roma community were armed to the teeth with weapons when a brawl broke out allegedly in retribution of someone being attacked.

Ashton James Pender was sentenced in the Roma Magistrates Court on October 30, 2024 for affray and going armed to cause fear.

A Roma man is set to be released from prison after he pleaded guilty to wielding a machete during a street fight in the rural town.

Ashton James Pender will walk free from the Bollaron Training and Correctional Centre on December 2, 2024 after spending more than three months behind bars.

Pender appeared in Roma Magistrates Court by video link on October 30, 2024, when he pleaded guilty to one charge of affray and one charge of going armed to cause fear.

His guilty plea took place exactly two months after he was involved in a violent street brawl on a Roma street, where he wielded a machete during the melee.

Police prosecutor Ellysha Geddes told the court the man was involved in an out-of-control fight on Foott St, Roma on the afternoon of August 30, 2024.

Sergeant Geddes said on that afternoon, Pender had attacked a young boy on his way home from school, and the boy’s family and friends then paid Pender a visit at his Foott St address in search of retribution.

Upon the arrival of the group, Sergeant Geddes said Pender armed himself with a meat cleaver, and the fight erupted in the front yard and spilt onto the street.

19-year-old Jamie Dennis Jackson was sentenced on September 3 for his involvement in the fight, having brought an axe to the brawl.

Jaiel Jackson had not pleaded guilty to his charges relating to the same incident.

Sergeant Geddes said in her opinion, Pender was a principal offender in the matter, and used his cleaver to slash Jaiel Jackson’s hand, though no complaint pertaining to the injury was ever made.

During the brouhaha, Pender also sustained a laceration to his hand.

Pender’s representative, Trevor May of Ferrier and Co solicitors, said while it was no excuse for his behaviour, the 20-year-old was scared when the group of armed individuals turned up at his house.

Magistrate Aaron Simpson said he suspected Pender acted impulsively in the circumstances, but it was nonetheless the wrong thing to do.

Because Pender was on parole at the time of the offending, his time behind bars before his sentencing was unable to be declared, but Mr Simpson backdated the start date of Pender’s prison sentence, to make him eligible for parole after three months.

Pender was sentenced to 12 imprisonment for the affray charge and six months for going armed so as to cause fear, to be served concurrently.

From December 2, Pender will be eligible to re-enter the community on parole.