‘Brutal and callous’: Teen who savagely bashed Toongabbie grandmother jailed eight years
A judge has labelled the brutal bashing of a Toongabbie grandmother in her own home as brutal and callous before sentencing her attacker to jail. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES.
Blacktown
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blacktown. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Marayong man ‘filmed child porn with niece’: Police
- Two hurt in brawl at Samoa vs Tonga rugby league match
A teenager who viciously bashed an elderly grandmother as she slept in her own home, leaving her with devastating injuries, has been jailed for eight years.
The Toongabbie man, now aged 21, who cannot be named for legal reasons, intruded the home of his 78-year-old neighbour Anita Christanga during the early hours of January 25, 2017 and bashed her unconscious as she slept in her upstairs bedroom.
The attack left the house covered in blood, with Mrs Christanga remaining unconscious for nine hours until she woke the following morning, cleaned herself up, and went to a bank Seven Hills over fears her credit card had been stolen.
Ms Christanga suffered a string of disfiguring injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a broken jaw, eye socket, nose and ribs. She died four months later, but a coronial inquiry could not prove that her death was due to the injuries inflicted.
A much-loved grandmother and local scripture teacher, Ms Christanga had lived in Toongabbie for 35 years.
On the night of the attack, she had been dancing with friends — a favourite hobby of hers — and returned home to bed.
Hours later, the teenager entered the home, stealing her mobile phone and a brooch before violently bashing her until she lost consciousness.
Just hours after, Mrs Christanga drove to the bank at Seven Hills Plaza to report her card had been stolen.
Staff were horrified when they saw her injuries and immediately called police. She was taken to Westmead Hospital for treatment.
Ms Christanga’s son, Samuel, told the court on a previous occasion in a victim impact statement that his mother never fully recovered from the attack.
After surgeries and a lengthy recovery, Mr Christanga said his mother eventually returned home, but had become increasingly fearful, reclusive and distant.
In sentencing at Parramatta District Court today, Judge Sean Grant opted not to recite Mr Christanga’s powerful statement, stating he “could not do justice to the way it was delivered”.
The court heard the accused initially denied assaulting Mrs Christanga, claiming he was at his grandmother’s home asleep with his partner and child at the time.
However, witnesses told police they had spotted the man running from the house on the night of the attack, even telling one witness, “I bashed someone, look at my shoes”.
He later told police he had entered the home through an open front door and said hello, before becoming concerned and running out of the house.
He was committed to stand trial in August, but pleaded guilty to a charge of entering a dwelling with intent to commit an indictable offence, larceny, in circumstances of aggravation, inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Judge Grant found the injuries inflicted on Mrs Christanga were “gratuitous” on the grounds that she did not pose a threat to her attacker.
“It was unnecessary to inflict injuries of such severity,” Judge Grant said.
He said Mrs Christanga had a right to be safe in her own home and said the man’s behaviour would not be tolerated.
“Although he entered as a thief, his conduct thereafter was brutal, with callous indifference to his victim,” he said.
“This was brutal, callous behaviour that strikes at the sanctity of the home.”
The court heard the man had a lengthy criminal history and a disruptive home life. Documents tendered to the court noted the man had smoked ice from the age of 14 and remembered driving in a stolen car with his dad during a police chase when he was a young boy.
Judge Grant found the man had experienced extra curial punishment after an assault in prison left him with a broken jaw.
The man was sentenced to eight years in jail, with a minimum term of five years and six months.
After time already served, he will be eligible for parole in July 2022.