Brandon Olden blames Anthony Read for alleged Bendigo cricket bat bashing, hit-run

A Kangaroo Flat teen has blamed his friend for the alleged cricket bat bashing and hit-run that left a Bendigo man “dying in the street” after he told them to stop doing burnouts.

Brandon Olden and co-accused Anthony Read have been charged over the alleged cricket bat bashing and hit-run of a 67-year-old man on Sparrowhawk Rd, Long Gully.

Two teens allegedly attacked a Bendigo man with a cricket bat and ran him down with a car after he told them to stop doing burnouts in his street.

Long Gully man Anthony Read, 19, and Kangaroo Flat man Brandon Olden, 19, allegedly viciously attacked a 67-year-old man with a cricket bat and ran him down with a car on Sparrowhawk Rd, Long Gully on January 9.

Police allege the duo attacked the man when he came out of his house with a cricket bat and told them to stop doing burnouts, the court heard.

Police allege the duo bashed the man, with Mr Read allegedly taking the bat from him and hitting him in the head and chest.

Anthony Read and Brandon Olden allegedly bashed a 67-year-old man with a cricket bat before running him over in a car on Sparrowhawk Rd, Long Gully in Bendigo.

Mr Read then allegedly jumped behind the wheel of the car and ran the 67-year-old down, leaving him “dying on the side of the road”.

Mr Olden has denied he was “complicit” in the alleged assault, claiming that Read was the sole assailant.

The court heard Mr Olden, who is on bail, intended to fight the charges with what Read’s lawyers have previously described as a “cut throat defence”.

Mr Olden denies he was “complicit” in the alleged assault, claiming he was “4m away” while Read allegedly beat the man.

In an attempt to disprove the police case against him Mr Olden’s lawyers sought permission to cross examine the 67-year-old’s son who allegedly witnessed the assault – which magistrate Trieu Huynh allowed.

The court heard Mr Read, who appeared via video from custody, was negotiating a plea deal following an additional charge of negligently causing serious injury being laid earlier in July.

Both teens are charged with intentionally causing serious injury which was added to their existing charges of assault and dangerous driving causing serious injury.

Mr Read will return to court on August 20 while his co-accused will face a one-day hearing in October where the alleged victim’s son will give evidence.