Man jailed for splitting woman’s head open with a softball bat

A YOUNG man with a ‘significant criminal record’ is back behind bars after a ‘nasty assault’ where he split a woman’s head open with a baseball bat.

A young man is behind bars after a ‘nasty assault’ where he split a woman’s head open with a softball bat. Picture: ThinkStock

A YOUNG man with a “significant criminal record” is back behind bars after a “nasty assault” where he split a woman’s head open with a baseball bat.

Santa Teresa man Luke Wallace, 21, pleaded guilty to a single count of aggravated assault in Alice Springs Local Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the victim was drinking in a Central Australian community on October 24, 2020 with her family, who were having “some arguments (with Wallace’s family) which carried over from the day before”.

Wallace was drinking in Alice Springs before he went to the community.

“A fight broke out between Wallace and (the victim’s) family members, who tried to break up the fight,” judge Meredith Huntingford said.

“You had armed yourself with a softball bat and hit her in the head.

“She fell on the ground and her head was cut open. She needed eight stitches to close it and she suffered a lot of pain.

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“The victim impact statement says the victim is scared of you and too scared to go to (community).

“A softball bat is a significant weapon. It’s a single strike to the head but it’s a vulnerable part of the body.”

Ms Huntingford said Wallace was “not the instigator of the overall violence” and his assault on the victim seemed unplanned.

“I heard the weapon was found at the scene. It’s a nasty assault nonetheless,” she said.

Judge Huntingford said reports had detailed Wallace’s slow learning and a difficult upbringing.

“It seems that you, notwithstanding your difficult early years, have been making some attempts to improve your situation,” she said.

“You have a significant criminal record for a young person.”

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The court heard Wallace had committed previous assaults with weapons, including a baseball bat, scissors and a scooter.

He was sentenced to seven months jail.

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