Illawarra man admits to role in vicious machete attack
A young Illawarra man has admitted to his role in a horrifying machete attack, that left a man with a ‘partially amputated’ left hand and wrist.
Illawarra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illawarra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Shop owner accused of touching women’s breasts, buttocks
- Aged care worker denies spraying chemicals in patient’s face
A 22-year-old Illawarra man has admitted to helping a teenage boy carry out a vicious machete attack, which almost severed another man’s hand and wrist.
Thomas Mook pleaded guilty to burning a 25-year-old man behind the ear with a blowtorch on March 12, after his 16-year-old accomplice allegedly attacked the man with a machete at a Warrawong public housing complex.
The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly swung a machete at the victim’s head during the surprise attack in the carpark of the housing complex in the early hours of March 12, following an argument over the drug ice.
According to court documents, the teenager allegedly walked toward the victim, holding the large knife above his head. In a bid to protect himself, the victim raised his arm toward the blade, with the blow almost cutting off his hand and wrist.
After the vicious blow, the victim saw Mook approach, holding a blowtorch in one hand, and using the other to hide his face.
As he approached, court documents reveal Mook held the blowtorch close to the back of the victim’s head, burning him behind the ear.
Mook and the teenage boy then fled the unit block, leaving the victim in a pool of blood, fearing for his life.
Court documents reveal the victim screamed out “Call an ambulance, call an ambulance, I’m going to die”, before nearby residents responded and contacted emergency services.
The victim was taken to Wollongong Hospital, before he was transferred to Sydney for emergency, reconstructive surgery.
An expert report revealed the machete attack left the victim with a “partial forearm amputation” and due to the multitude of tendon and nerve injuries, prognosis was “extremely poor”.
While the man’s hand and wrist were saved by doctors, his left hand has “almost zero function”, according to court documents, with his fingers fused into a closed position.
The teenage boy was arrested the day after the attack on March 13, and found with a machete hidden down his pants, allegedly telling police that he needed it “for protection” and that he was “dangerous”.
Mook was arrested two weeks later on March 28, where he denied being involved in the assault, and said someone had stolen his blowtorch from him minutes prior to the attack.
But the 22-year-old changed his version of events at Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to the charges of grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.
Mook, who appeared in court via audiovisual link from jail, will appear in Wollongong District Court for sentencing next month.