Bexley factory chainsaw attack: new dad avoids jail after assault over debt dispute
A new father has avoided jail after he went on a angry rampage with a chainsaw at a Sydney factory over a financial dispute with the boss.
St George Shire Standard
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A new father has avoided jail after he went on a angry rampage with a chainsaw at a Sydney factory over a financial dispute with the boss.
Wooi Keat Chen, 28, threatened two employees with the green Makita chainsaw at Clientel Developments in Bexley before using it to slice the lids off several bins on April 10 this year.
CCTV captured Chen headbutting, pushing and spitting at a male employee before spraying him with water from a Mount Franklin drink bottle when he was unable to find the man’s boss.
“He then walked inside where (the female victim) and (a male witness) were standing,” an agreed statement of facts read.
“The accused stood in the doorway and began to scream at (the female victim) – do you want to f—king go? Give me my f—king money!”
Chen then revved the chainsaw again, causing the female victim to fear for her life as she told him her boss was not at the factory.
Chen pleaded guilty in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday and received a wholly suspended sentence of 29 months for one count of common assault, two counts of intimidation and one count of being armed with intent to commit an offence.
Chen’s lawyer said the dispute occurred because of a cancelled contract which left Chen, a tiler, $7000 out of pocket.
“The company had made it clear to the accused that they were happy to discuss the financial terms of the contract,” an agreed statement of facts read.
However, Chen – suffering post-traumatic stress from a February car accident, financially supporting his family in Malaysia and dealing with becoming a father for the first time just six days earlier – snapped.
“He was carrying the cost of the materials for his business that he had not been paid for,” his lawyer told the court.
“They told him they were not in a position to pay it in full and he would have to receive it in dribs and drabs.
“He had an overwhelming sense of frustration and helplessness and it was a complete mind-snap – completely irrational behaviour.”
Chen, who was supported by his wife in court, will have to continue his psychological treatment and be of good behaviour to stay out of jail.
He is also required to stay at least 100m away from the male and female employees for the next two years, and to stay five metres away from the factory which will permit him to keep using the major road where it is located.