Troy Waistcoat: Tennant Creek man guilty of breaking sister’s arm with wooden log

A Tennant Creek bartender, who was drinking in the early hours of the morning with his sister and friends, flew into a rage and struck his sister forcefully with a metre-long log, a court has heard.

Tennant Creek man Troy Waistcoat, 44. Picture: Facebook

A Tennant Creek bartender will not be required to serve jail time after he pleaded guilty to striking his sister forcefully with a metre-long, 15cm wide wooden log, breaking her arm.

Troy Waistcoat, 44, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at Darwin to a charge of negligently causing serious harm to his sister, who was aged 39 at the time of the attack on April 2 last year.

Waistcoat had been up all night drinking and went to a house about 6.30am to join his sister and some friends who were also consuming alcohol, Waistcoat’s sentencing hearing before Justice Sonia Brownhill on September 2 heard.

A verbal fight broke out between Waistcoat, his sister and her partner, which exploded into violence when Waistcoat picked up a log, measuring a metre long and 15cm in diameter, and swung it at his sister.

Justice Sonia Brownhill. Picture: File

Her arm, which she raised to defend herself, was broken by the force of the blow.

Waistcoat and his sister’s partner then began bashing each other, which police interrupted after they responded to a triple-0 call made by a witness.

The woman required surgery to fix both bones in her forearm, Justice Brownhill told the court.

In a victim impact statement, Waistcoat’s sister said she was upset at the time, but the relationship had been repaired.

“You have apologised to her, and she has forgiven you,’ Justice Brownhill said.

“She said you are a really big help with all of the kids and grandkids, and the kids all love you.

“You help out with them often and are a good influence and role model for them.

“She also said that since this happened you do not drink because you know it is no good for you.”

Justice Brownhill said Waistcoat had a relevant but dated criminal history and a good work history.

She said he had worked in various roles including night patrol, bottle shop attendant, station hand, construction, youth development officer and, most recently, bartender at a local pub, but quit that due to anxiety about court.

Justice Brownhill noted Waistcoat, a father of two and grandfather of one, played a strong supporting role with his extended family, teaching them cultural activities.

She concluded his prospects of rehabilitation were good, especially since he had quit drinking, and the pub had indicated Waistcoat was a good worker and they would like to have him back if he wanted to return.

She sentenced him to an intensive community correction order for 18 months, conditional upon Waistcoat being under the supervision of a probation and parole officer, remaining abstinent from alcohol, and performing 200 hours of community service.