Edward Victor Kaden sentenced for assault, trespassing
Wild scenes broke out on North Stradbroke Island when a vigilante “mob” of 40 marched onto a man’s property, with the altercation ending in bloodshed.
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A Stradbroke Island man has faced court after his “mob took the law into their own hands” and flocked the home of another local, leaving officers to diffuse a fight for 30 minutes.
Edward Victor Kaden, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of trespassing.
Cleveland Magistrates Court was told Kaden and 40 Dunwich locals attended the victim’s Mermaid Street address at 10pm on August 19, 2023.
A Police prosecutor said police first attended the Spa supermarket at Dunwich where 40 people were en route to the victim’s home.
“Officers observed numerous persons outside of the victim’s house yelling and swearing, they rushed towards the front door,” the Sergeant said.
“Police observed the defendant punching the victim several times and diffused the situation for 30 minutes … they dragged (Kaden) off of the victim.
“The complainant had tried to arm himself with a machete … he was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
“He suffered a fractured nose, other facial fractures and damaged tissue,” she said.
Kaden made admissions to police and informed them that he and the victim had a long history of issues, the court was told.
Kaden’s lawyer said he is training to become a fire and emergency responder and is a father of four children.
“Things have now settled down but the complainant did enter the Spa armed with a weapon and the community had had enough,” a lawyer said.
“The community is interconnected and they took it upon themselves, if you look at (my client’s) history he would not ordinarily engage in these assaults.
“He’s a family man and frustration led to this, it built up and the attack was the last straw,” he said.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta said it is a shame Kaden lowered himself to become a “thug”.
“It’s a shame it got to the point that you had to be dragged off … Violence begets more violence,” Ms Vasta said.
“It’s a terrible example for your four children to take matters into your own hands.
“Unless you come to terms with the past and move on it will continue to frustrate you and cause you to behave in a way that brings shame on yourself,” she said.
Kaden was sentenced to complete 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $600 compensation to the victim.
No convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as Edward Victor Kaden sentenced for assault, trespassing
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