A HOBART man who bludgeoned his neighbour with an antique iron during a drunken brawl has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison. Stephen John Gleeson, 55, waged the attack inside his Sandy Bay apartment last August. Gleeson lashed out at neighbour Christopher Goss after a simmering verbal altercation during a day drinking session turned violent. When Mr Goss lunged at Gleeson with his fists clenched and threatened to kill him, Gleeson hit back three times with a glass beer stein before collecting the antique iron. He then hit Mr Goss three times to the skull, leaving him face down on the floor and barely moving. Gleeson then hit the man at least three more times to his head with the full force of the iron. Justice David Porter said he accepted Gleeson's emotions were running high at the time, but he ought to have known Mr Goss was in no position to defend himself. Justice Porter said the attack was vengeful and retributive, and Gleeson's drunkenness was no excuse. He said Mr Goss had been left seriously disfigured and unable to read, write or live alone. Gleeson's sentence was backdated to August last year, and he will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
A HOBART man who bludgeoned his neighbour with an antique iron during a drunken brawl has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
Stephen John Gleeson, 55, waged the attack inside his Sandy Bay apartment last August.
Gleeson lashed out at neighbour Christopher Goss after a simmering verbal altercation during a day drinking session turned violent.
When Mr Goss lunged at Gleeson with his fists clenched and threatened to kill him, Gleeson hit back three times with a glass beer stein before collecting the antique iron.
He then hit Mr Goss three times to the skull, leaving him face down on the floor and barely moving.
Gleeson then hit the man at least three more times to his head with the full force of the iron.
Justice David Porter said he accepted Gleeson's emotions were running high at the time, but he ought to have known Mr Goss was in no position to defend himself.
Justice Porter said the attack was vengeful and retributive, and Gleeson's drunkenness was no excuse.
He said Mr Goss had been left seriously disfigured and unable to read, write or live alone.
Gleeson's sentence was backdated to August last year, and he will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
