A homeless man who bashed a Launceston cafe owner with a fire extinguisher told police that breaking the victim's arms and legs and stabbing him had crossed his mind.
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Steele Leslie Ward, 25, pleaded guilty to the assault in broad daylight on June 10, 2020.
In Launceston Supreme Court on Friday, Crown prosecutor Jennifer Slevin said Ward arrived in Tasmania in January and had been living in his car.
READ MORE: Tasmanian borders to reopen to Victoria
However, after evading police on June 4 his car was clamped and he lived on the streets.
Ward was lying on a couch in the foyer outside the Green Bean Cafe in Cimitiere street when proprietor Paul Giddins approached him.
Mr Giddins asked him if he was OK and advised him that he could not sleep there.
Shortly after, Mr Giddins' wife noticed that Ward had taken his shoes off.
Mr Giddins approached him again and offered him something to eat or drink and advised that he could not sleep there.
"I am not asleep leave me alone," Ward yelled.
Mr Giddins was looking for a phone number for police because of Ward's aggression when he noticed him walk into the cafe.
Ward grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and approached Mr Giddins, firing a gust of powder at him.
He then held it at eye level and sprayed it into his face instantly blinding him, Ms Slevin said.
"He struck the complainant to the side of the head causing him to fall to the floor," she said.
"The accused kicked him to the ribs a couple of times."
Mr Giddins was take to the Launceston General Hospital suffering chest pain and a headache.
He suffered an intracranial fracture of the eye socket and multiple rib fractures and bruising around the chest.
Ward was arrested the next day at Launceston's Royal Park.
In a police interview he said he was sitting at the cafe when someone came over and said he couldn't sleep there.
He said he asked for coffee because he had money.
"The person I hit was being a wanker," he told police.
He said he was not asleep, but just had his eyes shut. He was going to change dressings on his feet because of blisters and had his boots off.
When Mr Giddins approached a second time he told him he still hadn't brought him coffee.
"Police asked how he felt about the incident," Ms Slevin said.
"He said he felt pretty bad, but said maybe the complainant did not like homeless people and that he was being discriminated against," Ms Slevin said.
Ward told police that the complainant had another go and walked into the extinguisher "so I hit him with the fire extinguisher".
He laughed saying: "What was he [the complainant] thinking".
He said he gave him a kick up and then ran away.
"I still didn't get my coffee," he told police.
Ms Slevin said police asked him what his intention was.
"To spray him in the face a bit," he said.
"Why?," police asked.
"It was better than breaking his arms or legs or stabbing him," he said.
When police asked if that had crossed his mind he nodded and mumbled in the affirmative.
He told police he did not feel threatened by Mr Giddins.
He was asked how he felt about the incident.
"Maybe I should have stolen money, food and made my own coffee and maybe actually hurt him," Ward replied.
He said what appeared on Facebook about the incident was a complete lie.
Defence counsel Lucy Flanagan said Ward, originally from Adelaide, had been homeless and had sought shelter.
"He was in pain, cold and desperate," she said.
She said Ward was not aware that the Green Bean Cafe provided food and drinks to homeless people and he had never met the complainant before.
"He felt bullied and agitated about being asked to move on," she said.
She said Ward had drafted a letter of apology in which he begged forgiveness.
The court heard that that Mr Giddins was expected to provide a Victim Impact Statement on Monday.
She said that Ward had been in custody for seven weeks and that for someone with no prior offences for violence could receive a suspended sentence.
She submitted that deterrence and denunciation had been achieved in the seven weeks.
Acting Justice Brian Martin said it was obvious that Ward would need assistance when he left jail and ordered an assessment for a Community Correction Order.
Sentencing was adjourned until Thursday, August 5.
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Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
