Scottsdale electrician Geoffrey Colin Abbott sentenced over assault on former customer

A self-employed electrician’s services had been terminated before he arrived at the customer’s house to collect his tools and deliver a bill. The “tussle” that followed almost landed him in prison.

A SCOTTSDALE electrician told police he heard his former client’s nose “crack like a carrot” as he punched him during a “tussle” and a dispute over a bill.

Geoffrey Colin Abbott, 49, pleaded guilty to assaulting a Branxholm man by punching him in the face in the Supreme Court in Launceston on Wednesday.

The court heard the self-employed sparky’s services had been terminated before he arrived at the man’s property to collect his tools and deliver a final bill, in October last year.

The men argued over the bill in front of the complainant’s 15-year-old son before Abbott grabbed the handle of the spade the man was holding, starting a “tussle”.

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Abbott punched the man in the face, fracturing his left eye socket and nose and causing swelling, bruising and bleeding.

The victim was taken to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment and later required surgery to repair his eye socket.

Abbott attended the Scottsdale Police Station and admitted punching and causing harm to the man.

Police and ambulance units responded to the scene after the victim’s son call triple-0.

Defence lawyer Fran McCracken said it was a “poor argument to be undertaken in front of a 15-year-old”.

She said said her client grabbed the spade because he was concerned the man might use it as a weapon, and punched him because he was frustrated and wanted the tussle to be over.

It was initially alleged that Abbott struck the man with a metal bar, but the charge was amended after Abbott denied it.

Ms McCracken said Abbott had been the subject of rumours and accusations, continuing to live in the same small community as the victim since the incident.

She said Abbott’s wife had also been harassed at work.

Justice Pearce said Abbott was remorseful and the “single blow in the heat of the moment” was uncharacteristic, but such behaviour could have had “terrible consequences” and was “never acceptable”.

He said the ongoing physical, psychological and financial impact on the victim was an “important consideration” and the act was made worse by being committed in the presence of the boy.

“Were you to act in this way again, you would face actual imprisonment,” Justice Pearce said.

“[You and your partner] have been exposed to denigration in the community due to exaggerated rumour.”

He convicted and fined Abbott $3000 and sentenced him to five months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 18 months.