A MACHETE-wielder slashed and stabbed another man during an all-in Rocherlea street brawl, then drove off while waving the weapon out of his car window, a court has heard.
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Josh Daniel Wilson, 24, caused serious wounds to complainant Gary Donald Lawrence Cleaver, 50, according to the Crown.
But the defence has argued Mr Wilson suffered injuries consistent with a sharp instrument being used.
The trial of Mr Wilson started in the Supreme Court in Launceston on Tuesday.
He pleaded not guilty to wounding Mr Cleaver with a machete by striking him to the back, chest and shoulder and not guilty to having been unlawfully armed in public with a machete or similar object, by swinging it around and towards people who were near him.
All allegations date from November 24, 2012.
Crown prosecutor Luke Brett, in his opening address, said Mr Cleaver was in his Burrawang Court home when two cars pulled up outside about 10.50pm.
He said one car was a blue Subaru, carrying Mr Wilson.
Mr Brett said an occupant from the Subaru wanted to collect baby clothes from the next door neighbour of Mr Cleaver.
He said Mr Cleaver went outside and Mr Wilson became aggressive towards Mr Cleaver.
The prosecutor said an altercation began after another man arrived on the scene.
He said Mr Cleaver entered the fray with others in an attempt to pull men away from a man.
Mr Brett said Mr Wilson armed himself with a machete, swung it about in a threatening manner, and struck Mr Cleaver who at that point was trying to rescue a badly injured man.
He said Mr Wilson used stabbing and slashing motions to injure Mr Cleaver several times, and swung the machete towards other people before he fled.
In his opening address, defence counsel Evan Hughes labelled the Crown’s version of events as ‘‘flawed, fractured and quite simply, untrue’’.
Mr Hughes said Mr Wilson had in fact suffered injuries that were consistent with him being stabbed and injured with a sharp weapon and his group had also sustained injuries.
The trial, before Justice David Porter, is expected to end by Friday.