Daniel Victor Gandini lashes out at the jury that found him guilty ahead of sentencing

A Port Sorell man — who insists on being called ‘Diplomat Dan’ — lashed out at the jury saying they ‘didn’t even want to be there’ after being found guilty. Here’s what happened.

Burnie Supreme and Magisterial Courts

Days before being sentenced, a man has lashed out in court against the jury that found him guilty.

Daniel Victor Gandini was found guilty of two counts of assault and four counts of unlawful acts intended to cause bodily harm.

The counts relate to an incident between July 7 and 8, 2021, at Port Sorell in Tasmania’s northwest.

Gandini, who insisted on being called “Diplomat Dan” or simply “Dan” during his trial, was violent towards his then-wife, with the jury finding him guilty of two of the three counts of physical assault she alleged.

The woman then fled with their two children, and Gandini barricaded himself in his Port Sorell home around 8.30am on July 8.

The bodily harm charges relate to him throwing acid at four police officers who moved in to arrest him during the impending siege.

None of the police officers or the ex-wife provided victim impact statements.

Chief Justice The Honourable Alan Blow AO. Ceremonial sitting for the 200 year anniversary of the Supreme Court of Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

During sentencing submissions in the Supreme Court in Burnie on Tuesday, Gandini, who has represented himself through the trial, said he intends to appeal against the jury’s findings.

“I don’t agree with it,” he said

“I don’t believe that they took into consideration all the evidence that I filed.”

Gandini told the court that he believed the jury’s less than three hours of deliberation was not enough time to go through all the evidence.

“By the end of the three weeks, the jury didn’t even want to be here … I think a few of the older ladies pretty much ran the jury.

“I don’t believe they took their oath seriously.”

Chief Justice Alan Blow interrupted Gandini and said he had “had to assume” that the jury got it right.

Gandini responded by saying that he understood.

He also expressed remorse about throwing acid at police, particularly one officer who Gandini said he believed had suffered light burns at the end of his nose and his eyebrow.

“I’m glad he doesn’t have any vision loss or anything like that or anything serious; I’m glad the other officers aren’t hurt.”

Gandini asked Justice Blow to grant him a community corrections order instead of a jail term before his sentence on Thursday at 10:30am