Northern Tas man launches appeal on hammer attack conviction

A man convicted of brutally attacking another man with a hammer after a fight broke out at a northern Tasmanian supermarket returned to court. His appeal.

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A 45-year-old northern Tasmanian man who was convicted after attacking a man with a hammer is launching an appeal against his conviction.

Thomas James Aliano, 45, appeared via video-link from Risdon Prison before Associate Justice Michael Daly in Hobart’s Supreme Court of Tasmania on Tuesday to begin proceedings for his appeal.

Aliano was previously sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment for a charge of wounding in June this year after landing numerous blows with a hammer to a man who had come at him from behind with a baseball bat in an April 2023 incident.

Court documents from the June sentence stated Aliano was heading towards a supermarket carpark in Mowbray when the victim, his partner and his dog approached him.

Aliano, carrying a hammer, was spooked by the presence of the dog, which prompted an argument between the two parties, culminating in the victim retrieving a baseball bat from the boot of a friend’s car.

The victim then approached Aliano from behind and swung at him, hitting him twice.

Aliano then retaliated, hitting the victim numerous times which resulted in two depressed skull fractures for the victim and several fractures and bruising around his body.

Aliano attempted to argue during his trial that his actions were self-defence, with the jury at the time claiming that the ‘blows’ after the first were “excessive self-defence”.

In court on Tuesday, Aliano stated he had trouble receiving court transcripts in prison and had not received confirmation of legal representation from his chosen lawyer.

Associate Justice Daly stated an appeal plan would be sent to Aliano via the Department of Corrective Services, which would include evidence used in his June sentencing and required actions from him.

It is not yet clear on what grounds Aliano has made his appeal.

Associate Justice Daly also ordered that a representative from Legal Aid be appointed to Aliano.

Originally published as Northern Tas man launches appeal on hammer attack conviction