Tyson Brown sentenced for violent Melton assault, robbery

A plasterer will likely be sent back to New Zealand after he drunkenly imprisoned a man in his car and repeatedly assaulted him.

A drunken plasterer who imprisoned a man in his car and seriously assaulted him for more than 20 minutes will likely be deported, a court has heard.

Tyson Brown, 31, appeared in the County Court on Friday morning to plead guilty to charges including recklessly causing injury, false imprisonment, robbery and intentionally damaging property.

The charges all relate to an incident in Melton on July 9, 2020.

The victim had been sitting in his car following a medical appointment when Brown knocked on the front passenger side window about 11pm.

An intoxicated Brown, who had known the victim for some time but hadn’t seen him for several years, opened the door and got into the car.

Carrying a bottle of vodka and slurring his words, he yelled: “every dog in Melton got my kid taken off me.”

The pair had a “heated conversation” and Brown pulled the victim back into the car when he repeatedly tried to clamber out and patted down his pockets.

Brown then grabbed the victim by the throat and punched him in the face three times as the victim continued trying to exit his car.

Brown then choked the struggling victim again and demanded to know where “his money” was.

As the victim continued struggling to get out of the car, Brown grabbed him from behind, placed him in a chokehold and pulled him back in while continuing to scream at him.

Holding the scruff of his jumper, he then yelled in the victim’s face while clenching his fist threateningly.

Continuing to yell at him, he snatched the victim’s car key from his pocket, slapped him and demanded his wallet.

He then took money and documents from the centre console before kicking the windscreen, causing it to crack, and the rearview mirror and GPS to detach.

He elbowed the victim twice in the face before grabbing him by the throat and demanding he drive him home.

The victim set off but was directed to stop on Century Avenue between Scott St and Eagle Drive.

Stopping in the emergency lane, Brown turned towards him and punched him in the mouth — breaking one of his teeth.

Brown, a father of a young daughter, then told the victim he had “plenty of guns and money” and a crew who would “shoot” him “in the head” before he got out of the car.

The victim drove straight to the police station.

The court heard it was not known what sparked the offending and the victim had not made an impact statement.

The plasterer and roofer has been in custody since being arrested in July 2020 — a period of 784 days.

He works as a food billet in prison and is currently engaged in a cake baking course.

Judge Carolene Gwynne said Brown’s actions were “bizarre and frightening” and seemed to reflect drunkenness and possible mental health concerns, but she had no documentation before her to indicate this.

She noted the assaults were “disturbing” but that Brown, who has an admitted criminal history, said he had no recollection of his actions that night.

The offending occurred just eight weeks after the New Zealand-born man was released from prison for similar offending.

The court was told Brown was not an Australian citizen and the government had cancelled his visa, meaning he would likely be sent back to live in a country where he had not lived since he was a child.

Judge Gwynne convicted and sentenced him to 20 months in prison.