Dion Peace assaulted a cancer survivor during an extended alcohol fuelled crime spree

A Mildura drunk attacked a cancer survivor, robbing her of her independence and leaving her scarred both physically and emotionally, just so he could get money for more grog.

A Mildura drunk assaulted a cancer survivor as he snatched her handbag at Coles on Fifteenth St. Picture: Generic

A boozed-up Mildura thief attacked a cancer survivor so he could steal her handbag to buy more grog, a court has has heard.

Dion Peace, 44, pleaded guilty at Mildura Magistrates Court to charges including the theft of alcohol from various liquor stores around Mildura, hoax calls to emergency services, and assault.

The court heard that on July 10, Peace approached a woman as she was attempting to get into her car at the Coles Mildura car park on Fifteenth St.

As Peace snatched her handbag, the woman, a cancer survivor, fell backwards and hit her head and shoulder on the bitumen.

The victim was seen to by witnesses, who also snapped a picture of Peace as he fled the scene.

Police went to his home address following the incident and was immediately arrested.

The victim told the court via a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) of the damage Peace had caused to her.

“He has robbed me of my independence,” the statement read, painting a picture of a woman who was full of life prior to the attack after surviving a mastectomy and cancer treatment.

Peace was sentenced to six months behind bars for the totality of his offending Picture: Mark Stewart

The VIS went on to detail how the victim’s balance had been impacted, how she can no longer walk unaided, and how she was constantly reliving the incident. It also mentioned how she had lost all trust in people she does not know.

Peace had also brazenly stolen from the BWS at Mildura Central several times as well, walking straight in, selecting a bottle of wine or whiskey from the shelf and simply walking out without paying, the court heard.

As well as that, Peace had taken to calling emergency services on several occasions, when drunk, making multiple hoax calls to Victoria Police, Fire Rescue Victoria and Ambulance Victoria.

Adding to the crime spree, Peace stole money and alcohol in several smash and grabs at Mocha Mecca, The Office bar and nightclub, and Cheap as Chips in Mildura.

Magistrate Rose Falla gave Peace a six-month jail term noting his consistent offending was troubling to the court.

“Your addiction to alcohol is clearly the driving force behind your offending,” Ms Falla said.

“It provides an explanation, but not an excuse.”

Ms Falla also said that Peace would have received a head sentence with a non-parole period had he not pleaded guilty.

With 19 days reckoned as time served, Peace will be released in January, 2025.