Farmer suffers brain damage in hammer-attack home invasion
A THUG whose brutal hammer attack during a home invasion left a farmer with brain damage could walk free from jail in a little over three years.
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A HAMMER-wielding thug who bashed in the skull of a farmer, leaving him with brain damage, could be free from jail in a little over three years.
Brett Audsley, 37, was today sentenced to six-years and six months in jail, with a non-parole period of four years and three months, over the sickening attack on a farmer in his own home in 2009.
Audsley has already served 649 days in jail and was thrown another bone by County Court Judge Jane Patrick when she ordered his non-parole period be backdated to November last year when he was sentenced over the kidnapping and torture of a man over a drug debt.
The mindless bully was sentenced to four years and nine months, with a non-parole period of two years and nine months, for that offence.
His total sentence for both offences now sits at nine-years with a non-parole period of six.
Crown prosecutors argued Audsley’s non-parole period should start from today, but Judge Patrick would not have it.
“If I get into trouble we’ll find out about it,” she said.
“The fairest way to do it is the way I’ve done it.”
Audsley — who was sentenced alongside Rebels bikies last year — attacked his victim in a terrifying home invasion with two mates
The court heard Audsley hated the man’s son and went armed with a hammer and bar when he raided the farmer’s Clyde property in Melbourne’s southeast.
But it was the man’s daughter who copped it from the thugs, with co-accused Jason Parks bashing the terrified woman over the head.
Parks, 51, was sentenced to six-years and six months in jail with a non-parole period of three years and six-months for his role in the attack.
Judge Patrick said the terrified woman was taken through the house at knifepoint while the men searched for drugs and cash.
Her father was savagely assaulted with the hammer outside by Audsley and another man before they all fled.
The farmer sustained horrific head injuries, which has left him partially paralysed and unable to speak properly.
It remains unclear exactly who wielded the devastating hammer blows, but both men were sentenced as part of a joint criminal enterprise.
The pair pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary, assault, recklessly causing serious injury and armed robbery.
They were found guilty by a jury following three trials dating back to 2013.
In sentencing, Judge Patrick said she took into account the delay it took to bring the men to justice.