Shepparton man tried to “cook” friend’s head in sandwich press during brutal attack

A Shepparton man tried to “cook” his friend’s head in a sandwich press during a brutal, drug-induced attack.

Justin Thomas Webb said he tried to “cook” his friend’s head in a sandwich press.

A man claims he tried to “cook” his mate’s head in a sandwich press in a savage attack at his Shepparton home.

Justin Thomas Webb was in a drug-induced psychosis when he brutally bashed Michael Murphy to within an inch of his life at his Poplar Avenue unit on February 22, 2020.

After the frenzied assault, Webb, 46, took off his blood-soaked shirt and had a shower before rushing to ask neighbours for help, saying he had woken to find his friend in a pool of blood in the laundry.

“I’ve just woken up and me mate’s near dead,” he told a neighbour about 7pm.

Justin Thomas Webb was sentenced to four years and four months in prison for the attack.

On his arrest, Webb had little memory of the knife-wielding attack, citing he had been “knocked out” by taking a cocktail of Valium and opiates.

“It could’ve been someone else. It could’ve been me,” Webb said.

But he later remembered what happened, telling a neighbour how he “thought it was a dream”.

He told the neighbour how he tried to “cook the fella’s head with a sandwich press”.

Asked why he did it, Webb said he “flipped out” as Mr Murphy, who he claimed was more than a friend, had tried to touch his genitalia and wanted to have sex with him, but he didn’t want to.

County Court judge Douglas Trapnell said crime scene pictures detailed the “chaotic state” of the property, with overturned furniture, a smashed TV and a “large volume of blood”.

“This was a very violent attack on the victim,” Judge Trapnell said.

“The assault spread across a number of rooms in the residence with blood covering numerous surfaces and destruction was spread throughout the house.

A judge described Justin Thomas Webb’s attack as “bizarre”.

“You used a sharp weapon or weapons; probably, one or more of the bloodstained knives and scissors located at the scene.

“Your conduct is bizarre and you appear to have no memory of the attack itself and very little memory of the events leading up to its immediate aftermath.

“This is a very concerning aspect of your offending.”

Mr Murphy, 54, sustained 32 injuries to his head and neck, chest and abdomen, both arms and legs.

He had a fractured skull and two brain bleeds and had to undergo emergency surgery to remove part of his skull.

Without medical intervention, he would have died, the court heard.

He has an acquired brain injury and required treatment in a rehabilitation facility.

Webb pleaded guilty to a single count of recklessly causing serious injury, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years jail.

The court heard he had an extensive criminal history, had struggled with alcohol and drug abuse, and that his mental health had deteriorated to the point he was suffering hallucinations.

He was an Aboriginal man who had also been homeless for a period until he was provided the Salvation Army housing in Shepparton about a month before the attack, the court heard.

Judge Trapnell jailed Webb for four years and four months, setting a non-parole period of three years.