Harley Buttenshaw: Lismore man faces court for destroying cars

A young dad started swinging a golf club after he found out a prized possession had been sold to cover overdue rent.

A North Coast man who flew into a rage after a former roommate sold his boat to pay his rent debt has learnt his fate.

Goonellabah man Harley Buttenshaw, 29, faced Lismore Local Court on Monday for sentencing on two counts of destroy/damage property.

The court heard the unemployed dad was behind in rental payments when his former Lismore roommate sold his boat, worth about $4000, to cover the debt back in November 21, 2021.

When Buttenshaw inquired to the whereabouts of the boat, the man “smugly” told him “I sold it”, defence lawyer Natasha Wood said.

Buttenshaw then acted in what Magistrate Michael Dakin called a “blind rage”, picking up a golf club and swinging it wildly, hitting the man’s car and another man’s car parked in the driveway.

He also threw rocks during the outburst and smashed his elbow into the Toyota HiLux bonnet.

In total, he shattered three windows between the two cars.

Buttenshaw denied bringing the golf club to the house when he faced court on Monday, stating he found it there, despite agreed facts tendered to court saying he had brought it with him.

Ms Wood said Buttenshaw was the full time carer of his six-year-old son and had been seeking out help for his “anger management” issues.

She said he was “immediately regretful” for damaging the second car which did not belong to his former roommate and had apologised.

Mr Dakin said the assault was “violent” especially considering Buttenshaw damaged a man’s car who was not involved in the rental spat.

“He needs to do something about his anger,” he said.

“If he had presumably paid his rent on time none of this would have happened.

“There is absolutely no room in this society for people to take the law into their own hands.”

He said if it was not for the family responsibilities of the young man, he could be facing jail.

“I went red, I just wanted to know where my boat was,” Buttenshaw said in court.

He said he would pay for the car damages to which Mr Dakin said “you’ll be paying for it all right”.

“It takes a bigger person to walk away than start swinging a golf club wildly,” Mr Dakin said.

He convicted Buttenshaw and sentenced him to a two years community corrections order and 100 hours of community service.

He also placed him under a two year apprehended violence order for the protection the roommate.

For the damage to the cars, Buttenshaw will have to pay $4504.93.