Lachlan Justin Plummer pleads guilty to causing grievous bodily harm after bowls club scuffle

A former police officer almost lost his eyesight and has been left permanently disfigured after copping a punch to the head from behind at a party at a Hobart bowls club.

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A YOUNG man who “recklessly” punched a former police officer in the head from behind at a party and left him permanently disfigured has changed his plea at the last minute.

In the Supreme Court in Hobart before Justice Stephen Estcourt on Monday, Lachlan Justin Plummer was due to face trial, but changed his plea to guilty to one count of causing grievous bodily harm.

The Crown Prosecutor said on June 29, 2019, Mr Plummer, who was 20 years old at the time, and the victim, who was aged 49, were at a party at the Claremont Bowls Club for Mr Plummer’s uncle’s 50th birthday party.

At almost midnight, there was a scuffle on the dancefloor after the victim popped a balloon close to Mr Plummer.

The court heard a couple of minutes later, while the victim was standing at the bar, Mr Plummer approached him from behind and punched him in the head “with no warning” and he dropped to the ground unconscious.

The Crown Prosecutor said the victim attempted to stand up, but kept falling back down and eventually walked to his parents’ house nearby.

At about 1am, he started vomiting blood and was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital by ambulance where it was found he had fractures and bleeding behind the left eye.

The court heard emergency surgery was performed to relieve pressure and save the victim’s eyesight.

He has subsequently had another four surgeries for his ongoing injuries.

A victim impact statement was read to the court, which said the man had been left with bouts of double vision, no feeling in parts of his face, that he had lost his sense of smell and his sense of taste was also impacted and he was unable to drive.

The court heard it was unlikely he would be able to return to his current job and he had previously worked as a police officer for 15 years.

The attack took place in front of the victim’s wife and two daughters and the victim said in his statement that when a doctor at the RHH called his wife, she thought they were calling to tell her he had died.

“The 29th of June, 2019 – for me, this is the day I lost my trust in people and had my independence taken away from me,” the victim said in his statement.

“The burden I have become on my family and friends is sad and unfair.

“I find it difficult to look people in the eyes. I now feel useless and that I let my family down.”

He said he had spent $20,000 for treatment related to the injuries to date.

The Crown Prosecutor said Mr Plummer had not spent any time in custody for the “reckless” matter and his plea of guilty came at a late stage as a trial was due to begin today.

Mr Plummer’s lawyer Craig Rainbird will make sentencing submissions on Wednesday morning.

Mr Plummer was bailed to reappear then.