Christopher Oakley pleads not guilty to alleged assault in Thomson

A nightclub owner has told a court he was allegedly beaten and manhandled out his car after being accused of owing a $200 debt.

A Marshall man allegedly punched a nightclub owner 15 times during a bloody carjacking because he believed his friend was owed $200, a court has heard.

Christopher Oakley, 28, is accused of assaulting Michael Cooke in a Thomson carjacking on May 30, 2021 and appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday for a committal hearing.

The court heard Mr Oakley allegedly snapped Mr Cooke’s windscreen, punched him in the face, forced him out of the car and threatened him with a knife during the incident.

The force of the alleged attack caused Mr Cooke to fall backwards, the court heard.

Mr Cooke gave evidence in court where he told his version of the alleged events.

“I had thongs on, I was bleeding, and the thongs got stuck in the blood and my thongs blew a gasket and I fell over backwards,” Mr Cooke said.

He said he dropped some acquaintances off at a home in Thomson and was waiting in the car with his friend’s girlfriend when he was approached by Mr Oakley.

Mr Cooke said the pair had a short discussion about $200 Mr Cooke allegedly owed the woman sitting in the car, when Mr Oakley became violent.

The court heard Mr Cooke wound down his window a couple of inches and Mr Oakley allegedly snapped the glass using his hands.

Mr Cooke said he had a “vivid memory” of the alleged altercation.

“He snapped the glass, he leant in, and he put 15 punches on my chin. Exactly, 15,” Mr Cooke said.

Mr Oakley’s defence lawyer asked Mr Cooke if he had counted how many times he was punched to the face.

“I have vivid memory of the whole situation,” Mr Cooke said.

Mr Cooke told the court after he was punched, Mr Oakley leant in the car, popped his seatbelt, took the keys from the ignition and grabbed him out of the car.

He said Mr Oakley produced a knife and tried to use it, but none of the strikes connected.

The court heard a search warrant was issued by police the next day and Mr Oakley was arrested.

Mr Oakley is charged with causing injury to a person during a carjacking, assaulting the person, recklessly causing injury and intentionally causing injury.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Michelle Hodgson committed Mr Oakley to stand trial in the County Court.

He was remanded in custody and will next face court on October 30.

Originally published as Christopher Oakley pleads not guilty to alleged assault in Thomson