Scott Alfred Robertson sentenced to 18 months home detention for unjustified machete attack

A man who attacked an acquaintance with a machete he kept in his car after a disagreement has since made amends with his victim, sharing a hug and even becoming Facebook friends, a court has heard.

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A SOUTHERN Tasmanian man who drunkenly hit an acquaintance in the head with a machete he kept in his car – but who he has made friends with since – has been sentenced.

Scott Alfred Robertson, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of committing an act intended to cause bodily harm.

He was sentenced in the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart on Friday by Justice Stephen Estcourt.

The court heard on November 15, 2018, Robertson and the complainant Nigel Claude Hills were drinking at a hotel after finishing work and discovered they had a mutual friend who they decided to go visit.

Following a disagreement, Hills left the friend’s house and went to get his bag from Robertson’s car.

The court heard Robertson took a machete that he used for work from his car and started following Hills down the street.

Justice Stephen Estcourt.

“The defendant yelled ‘I will get you’ and ‘you’re f***ed’ and continued walking towards the complainant,” Justice Estcourt said.

“The complainant believed something was going to happen so he started looking for something to defend himself with.”

The court heard Hills grabbed a rotten picket fence from a house in the street before Robertson hit him in the head twice with the machete “with the intention to cause the complainant serious injury.”

Hills fought back with the fence picket and was able to disarm Robertson, who then ran away.

Hills was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital with a large laceration through his left ear which had to be partially amputated.

Justice Estcourt said a CT scan found Hills had a skull fracture which would have required “significant force” to create.

He said the attack had been without justification with a highly dangerous weapon in a public place.

Hobart Supreme Court.

The court heard Robertson had a “disrupted and dysfunctional” upbringing, had lost his stepson and his two-year-old granddaughter had very recently been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.

Justice Estcourt said the two men had since made amends after meeting again on a bus.

“They talked and shook hands. They became emotional and talked about their respective injuries from the night,” Justice Estcourt said.

“The defendant apologised, and that apology was accepted. The defendant told the complainant that he would be pleading guilty. They have become friends on Facebook. The complainant expressed sympathy over the death of the defendant’s stepson, and the two men hugged.”

Robertson was sentenced to 18 months’ home detention and will be subject to a community corrections order for three years, which also requires him to complete 240 hours of community service.