Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court: Brett Ferguson faces charge of assault with weapon

A Gippsland dairy farmer threatened a woman with a deadly compound bow after she refused to leave his home after a party, a court has heard.

Brett Ferguson faced the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a weapon.

An enraged Gippsland dairy farmer threatened a woman with a deadly compound bow after she refused to leave his home, a court has heard.

Brett Ferguson pleaded guilty at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to one count of assault with a weapon.

The court heard the 23-year-old had a party at his Gippsland home in April this year with a group of mates.

The next day, Ferguson told his friend he would be back in a few hours and wanted the woman gone.

When he returned, she was still there, and an angry Ferguson, armed with a compound bow, went to the backdoor approximately 1.5m from where the victim was standing and had an arrow notched in the firing position.

He pointed the weapon at the woman’s head and said “If you don’t get out of my house and off my property, I will hurt you”.

Ferguson, armed with his compound bow, aimed it at the victim and told her he would hurt her if she didn’t leave.

The frightened victim left the home and Ferguson was later arrested.

He was taken to the Warragul police station where he told police he was aware an arrow to the head could kill someone.

A character reference provided to the court revealed Ferguson was in a close relationship with his employer who was very supportive of him, and said he was hard working and was “staying out of trouble”.

Ferguson’s defence lawyer told the court her client has an intellectual disability, owned the bow for the purpose of shooting foxes and never intended to use it against someone.

She said while the bow was loaded with an arrow, it was not capable of being fired until it was pulled back.

The court heard Ferguson surrendered himself, was arrested and taken to the Warragul police station.

“I’d jail him — that’s how serious I view the offending,” Magistrate Andrew Halse said.

Mr Halse took into account Ferguson’s circumstances and his good work ethic.

He placed Ferguson on an adjourned undertaking for two years, ordered him to pay $2500 to the court fund and to write a letter of apology to the victim.