Suspended sentence for man who ‘used car as a weapon’ against partner’s former husband

A Hobart judge said a Tasmanian man who had ‘ill-feelings’ towards his partner’s ex-husband used his car as a weapon. His sentence.

Supreme Court of Tasmania, Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Richard Jupe

A man who “used his car as a weapon” to hit his partner’s former husband and attempted to hit him again has received a nine-month suspended sentence and been disqualified from driving for a year.

Mark Anthony Holmes, 43, had previously entered guilty pleas to two counts of assault relating to a May 2023 incident that Justice Robert Pearce said was performed “spontaneously and impulsively”.

At 7pm on May 6, 2023, Holmes was driving through the Launceston suburb of Newnham with his child when he arrived at his home to find his partner Belinda Baker outside talking to her husband whom she had separated from.

Mrs Baker had stopped her car to speak to Mr Baker who had been walking past with a friend, with Ms Baker remaining in her car while Mr Baker stood on the nature strip to talk to her.

Supreme Court of Tasmanian Justice Robert Pearce handed down a suspended sentence, fine and license disqualification.

Justice Pearce said he believed that when Holmes saw the pair talking, he accelerated and drove onto the wrong side of the road, onto the nature strip and drove directly at Mr Baker.

Holmes hit Mr Baker with the left front of the vehicle and knocked him to the ground before he drove back onto the road and reversed back, driving at Mr Baker again, who narrowly avoided the car by moving behind Mrs Baker’s vehicle.

Holmes drove away from the scene, but was arrested not long afterwards.

Mr Baker, 39, suffered pain in his hip and lower back where he was struck by the car and a graze on his right knee and lower leg but did not require medical treatment.

In handing down his sentence, Justice Pearce acknowledged Holmes’ prior “anti-social offences” convictions in Queensland and Victoria and a doctor’s report detailing a complex medical history.

A Tasmanian man has received a suspended sentence after hitting and then attempting again to run over his partner’s husband last year.

This includes a car accident that left Holmes with spinal fractures and a brain injury, resulting in “some cognitive impairment”.

However, Justice Pearce believes the assault was committed due to Holmes’ “ill-feeling” towards Mr Baker.

“You used the car as a weapon to deliberately drive into Mr Baker,” Justice Pearce said.

“You believed he had conducted himself badly towards his wife and your family.

“That might explain your conduct but certainly does not lessen the seriousness of it.”

Justice Pearce handed down a $200 fine and further disqualified Holmes from driving for a year as well as sentencing him to nine months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.