Tradie pleads guilty to attempted murder of colleague after severed leg found on side of road

A tradie has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his workmate, whose leg was found severed on the side of a highway in Perth.

A tradie has sensationally pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his colleague after a verbal altercation on a worksite that resulted in the victim being hit by a car and his leg being severed before he was attacked with a hammer.

Matthew William Lawson, 25, appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with the attempted murder of Trae Black in City Beach.

Mr Black’s severed leg was discovered on the side of a road by a good Samaritan moments after he was mowed down by Mr Lawson following a verbal altercation on a worksite, police say.

Trae Black, 29, was found on Perth’s West Coast Highway near the Boulevard in City Beach on Monday morning with life threatening injuries after he was allegedly struck by a Mazda ute and hit with a hammer.

Police have said Mr Black and Mr Lawson were involved in a verbal argument at a nearby worksite before Mr Black ran away.

The 29-year-old man was rushed to hospital after he was found along the West Coast Highway in City Beach with serious head and leg injuries. Picture: 7News

His leg was severed and he was attacked with a hammer, police allege, and blood was splattered across the road. Picture: 9News

Mr Lawson allegedly chased him down before hitting him with the ute and then striking him with a hammer.

The tool was described by witnesses as a “hammer”.

An orthopaedic doctor reportedly used her handbag strap to create a makeshift tourniquet before discovering the severed leg nearby.

“Later on I found his amputated leg up on the bank, put that in a bag and provided that to paramedics,” she told 9News.

A man who stopped to help told media Mr Black was asking for water and was “quite alarmed” following the alleged attack.

Mr Black was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital in a serious condition after suffering serious head and leg injuries.

He remains in a critical condition.

Trae Black, 29, was found on Perth’s West Coast Highway near the Boulevard in City Beach on Monday morning after he was allegedly attacked by a co-worker. Picture: Facebook

A co-worker of the men who witnessed the accident said Mr Lawson was “in the middle of the road like a bull charging”.

The tradies were employed at the same demolition business with their manager ‘Horse’ Elliott telling reporters that an interaction on Monday morning between the two employees went “horribly wrong.”

“Matthew came into the office looking for my other employee Trae,” he said.

“He then came to this worksite looking for Trae, they’ve had an interaction, Trae’s taken off and Matt’s gotten in the car and chased after him.

“I wasn’t aware of what happened after he left my office until I saw the carnage on West Coast Highway like everyone else.

“But when I came down West Coast Highway, I knew exactly what had happened, he had some fatalistic intentions on his mind.”

Mr Elliot said everyone was a bit distraught and some employees had taken time off after the incident but they still were trying to finish the job they started yesterday.

“I suggest that what happened yesterday, I don’t wish that on anyone and when you turn up to work you don’t expect anything like that to happen, but that’s the world we live in nowadays.”

The severed leg of a man has been found by a good Samaritan moments after the victim was allegedly mowed down by a work colleague following a verbal altercation. Trae Black, 29, was found on Perth’s West Coast Highway near the Boulevard in City Beach on Monday morning. Picture: 9News

Mr Lawson was arrested at the scene and taken into custody.

He appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with attempted murder.

Mr Lawson nodded to confirm his identity and pleaded guilty to the charge, telling the court he did not want any legal advice.

Magistrate Janelle Scutt said it was an exceptionally serious charge and it would be prudent for him to speak with a lawyer.

Matthew William Lawson, 25, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder to Trae Black, 29, following an alleged incident in City Beach on Monday morning. Picture: 9News

Magistrate Scutt said the charge was too serious and referred the matter to the Stirling Gardens Magistrate Court on August 21.
She ordered a pre-sentence report for background on the accused and information about the offence.
She asked Mr Lawson if she could order a psychological or psychiatric report to assist the court with sentencing, but he declined.

“It is not in your interest to have no information in front of the Supreme Court,” Magistrate Scutt said.

“I have no doubt the magistrate will speak to you about that.

“If you change your mind and wish to have a lawyer assist you put your name down or legal aid.

“This is a very serious charge and is in your best interest.”

No application for bail was made, and Mr Lawson remanded in custody.

Police are urging anyone with vision of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.