Bendigo judge sends man to jail over ‘vigilante’ attack

The victim of a savage attack at a popular Goornong camping spot wore an eye patch to court to hear his attackers learn their fates.

Warning: disturbing content

A Bendigo grandfather who lost one eye in a sickening attack at a Goornong campsite sat in court as his attackers were sentenced over the 2019 assault which reshaped his life.

The 70-year-old wore an eyepatch and held the lead of his assistance dog as he sat in a seat in the gallery of the Bendigo County Court on Wednesday afternoon to listen as Judge Mark Gamble jailed one of his assailants and freed another.

“It’s over,” he said outside court.

White Hills shearer Corey Ashenden, 28, was sentenced to three years in jail with an 18 month non-parole period for the attack at the campsite.

His co-accused Waylon Wenske, 29, was handed a three-year community corrections order and 350 hours of community service work for the assault.

Both men had pleaded guilty to charges following the attack.

Waylon Wenske, 26, left, and Corey Ashenden, 25, appeared in Bendigo Magistrates court over his alleged involvement in a violent Goornong campsite brawl, which seriously injured 67-year-old grandfather Brendan Leach, on October 5, 2019. Picture: Zizi Averill

The court heard the two men and four other unidentified masked males had stormed the Bendigo family’s campsite in revenge for an earlier attack on Wenske following a dispute over loud music.

Bendigo grandfather Brendan Leach, his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons had been camping at the English’s Bridge camping area, Goornong, on October 5.

Mr Leach told the court his family was woken at 10.30pm by their neighbours blasting music.

The court heard the then 67-year-old and his son, Christopher Leach, 34, told their rowdy neighbours to turn down their music.

They argued and Christopher Leach hit Wenske in the head with a torch, causing a head injury that bled profusely.

Wenske left and visited Ashenden, a close friend, and told him what had happened. Ashenden insisted they return to the campsite and get revenge.

Judge Gamble said Ashenden was affected by methamphetamines and Wenske was likely concussed and each both suffered from significantly impaired thinking at the time.

Waylon Wenske leaves Bendigo County Court after being sentenced to a three year CCO on Nov 16.

Corey Ashenden, sentenced at Bendigo County Court to three years jail, with a non parole period of 18 months, getting into prison transport.

He said the return to the campsite, which resulted in cars being rammed and one stolen for a joy ride, was “cowardly and brutish” and should not have happened.

A punch from Ashenden dislodged Mr Leach snr’s eyeball and the victim pushed it back in with his hand, but ultimately lost his vision on that side.

Judge Gamble said the offending had a “vigilante edge” and the men had previously been of good character, consistently employed and hard working.

He said Wenske would need to undertake a mental health assessment and treatment as part of his community corrections order and be of good behaviour for the next three years or risk being resentenced.

Judge Gamble ordered Ashenden be taken into custody and led from the court to a waiting prison transport vehicle.