Brett Anthony Staff assaulted his visiting housemate on three separate occasions
In one of the three attacks, the victim was left with a head wound that required 26 stitches.
Toowoomba
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A man who on three separate occasions assaulted his visiting house guest has been left with a seven month jail term hanging over his head.
Brett Anthony Staff, 45, had been friends with the victim for 20 years who had been staying at his Ruthven St home for a few months earlier this year, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.
On April 13, police called to the home arrived to find the complainant man with scratches on his face and neck which he told police were caused by Staff who had “snapped”, smashed a wine glass from which he had been drinking and then assaulted him.
Police prosecutor Julia Wheaton said the victim told police of previous assaults including on January 20 when Staff had crash tackled him and banged the victim’s head into the floor leaving him bleeding and a wound that required 26 stitches.
On January 9, the victim had been left bleeding when Staff threw a glass ashtray at him which struck him in the head, Sergeant Wheaton said.
Staff pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
Duty solicitor Alysha Jacobsen, of Bouchier Khan Lawyers, told the court the pair were still good friends but her client now lived alone again.
Staff instructed he had been stressed and turned to drinking after hearing a commotion from a neighbour’s home around Christmas time last year when an alleged murder was committed and he had called police, she said.
Her client was working in Toowoomba, Ms Jacobsen said.
Magistrate Louise Shephard sentenced Staff to seven months in jail but ordered the whole term be suspended forthwith to hang over his head for 18 months coupled with 18 months probation.
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Originally published as Brett Anthony Staff assaulted his visiting housemate on three separate occasions
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