Hayden Byrne jailed for callous attack on Barry Morris-Shaoul at Rosebud foreshore
A disabled Vietnam veteran has spoken about the moment he was robbed of his mobility scooter and coat and forced to stagger home during a freezing winter’s morning in Rosebud, saying the crime has put his PTSD treatment “back 20 years”.
South East
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Disabled war veteran Barry Morris-Shaoul walks his border-collie Uke along the Rosebud foreshore every morning.
The Vietnam ex-serviceman’s best mate is also part of his therapy to cope with extreme symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mr Morris-Shaoul was at the foreshore with Uke just after 6am on August 2, 2017 when he crossed paths with two violent criminals.
The men, Hayden Byrne and Brendan Hill, threatened Mr Morris-Shaoul with a weapon, robbed him and forced him to stagger for help in the freezing cold.
They stole his wedding ring, watch, phone and wallet, with essential cards including his disability pension card.
Byrne – a career criminal whose longest stint outside jail in the past 20 years was 23 months – took Mr Morris-Shaoul’s mobility scooter key, and his jacket.
Mr Morris-Shaoul was left virtually helpless on a freezing cold morning.
Byrne, who has countless priors for violence, had only been out of jail five months when he and Hill attacked Mr Morris-Shaoul.
Byrne and Hill were soon arrested but this didn’t end Mr Morris-Shaoul’s nightmare.
Byrne denied involvement.
Instead, the serial menace told police he thought the robbery of a disabled veteran was “putrid”.
Finally, after several court appearances – including two abandoned trials – Byrne was found guilty of armed robbery.
He was sentenced at the County Court on February 13 to a minimum three years’ jail.
Mr Morris-Shaoul, now 72, told Leader his relief was overshadowed by anxiety.
“The anxiety builds up and then nothing happens and then you go straight back into depression,” he said.
“It’s over but it still gives me a sweat (because) they’ll get released anyway.”
Mr Morris-Shaoul is back in therapy with increased medication for PTSD after the attack “worsened” his mental and physical health
“My treatment to help cope with PTSD has been put back 20 years,” he said.
“I am not enjoying my later years with my family in the way that I had hoped.”
Mr Morris-Shaoul is also on “heightened alertness”.
“I think about the possibility of being attacked again all the time … cars that shouldn’t be there,” he said.
“You start to think, which bush are they hiding behind?
“It only lasts a few minutes but its constantly with you.”
Judge Frances Hogan sentenced Byrne to a minimum three years’ jail for his “truly despicable” crime.
“You joined in this anti-social and frightening offending, which would cause any person to be afraid, but particularly someone who was elderly and limited in his mobility,” she said. “Although there was no gratuitous violence, the behaviour of you and Hill was extremely callous.
“You have been a menace to society for over 20 years when out in the community.”
Judge Hogan branded Byrne a “somewhat pitiful character”.
She said his rehabilitation prospects were poor if he continued to refuse treatment for drug use and cause trouble in custody.
“You will go on being a menace to society and have a miserable and wasted life, returning to prison time and time again,” she said.
Byrne, 40, was jailed for a maximum four years and six months after he was found guilty of armed robbery.
He had spent 493 days in custody at the time of sentencing.
Hill was sentenced at the County Court in July 2018 to a maximum three years and seven months, with a minimum two years after pleading guilty to armed robbery and unrelated theft and burglary charges.
Hill – who will be eligible for parole in July – was given a reduced sentence after he testified against Byrne.
He also has a violent criminal history stretching back to 2001.
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Mr Morris-Shaoul vowed to keep walking Uke at the beach every morning.
“You just got to do the best you can,” he said.
“If I don’t take her for a walk she gives me a snarl.”