Anthony Duff allegedly attacks Heidelberg Heights neighbour
A Heidelberg Heights man has been accused of a series of horrific attacks against his female neighbour, including an assault with a plank of wood and smashing her car windows then laughing.
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A Heidelberg Heights man has been accused of committing a series of “terrifying” attacks against his female neighbour, after a personal safety intervention order was put in place to protect her.
Anthony Duff has been charged with unlawfully assaulting the woman with a weapon, trespassing into her home, threatening her with violence and damaging her property.
The unemployed 43-year-old fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 7, having been locked up for 35 days and denied bail on July 5.
Duff was arrested on July 4 after allegedly committing a second attack on a fellow Milton Crescent resident.
He allegedly walked out of his home about 8.45am and threw two concrete cinder blocks at the woman’s car, smashing the back window and passenger front window.
The woman and her mother ran outside and saw him laughing, before the woman allegedly asked “what are you doing?”.
He allegedly “flipped her off” and went back into his home, before coming back outside carrying a cup of tea and a plank of wood.
He allegedly stood and smiled at the woman while holding the plank until she went inside and phoned 000.
The court heard Duff was also charged with unlawfully assaulting the woman with the same piece of wood on June 15, and that a personal safety interim intervention order between her and Duff and with full conditions had previously been put in place.
Police alleged Duff was known to be violent and was a known user of methamphetamine and oxycodone.
Magistrate Denise Livingstone said the alleged offending was serious and would have been “terrifying” for the woman.
Lawyer Jacqui Hession said Duff suffered from ADHD, for which he was on the disability support pension, as well as schizophrenia and paranoia.
She said the Donvale-raised man was without anywhere to live since he could no longer return to the Heidelberg Heights address.
Ms Hession asked Ms Livingstone to give a sentence indication on the charges before the court.
Duff refused to plead guilty to them after Ms Livingstone indicated she would sentence him to four months jail for the charges, of which he had already served 35 days.
Ms Livingstone said a much longer sentence would have been appropriate for the charges for deterrence reasons if Duff didn’t suffer from his particular health problems.
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