A 24-year-old man pointed a replica pistol and wielded an axe when a dispute over an unwanted load of wood boiled over in Ravenswood, the Launceston Magistrates Court heard.
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Christopher Leslie Lyden of Ravenswood pleaded not guilty to the aggravated assault of Shelley Maree Lowe and Anthony John Pyke on August 10 2021. He also pleaded not guilty to unlawfully possessing a dangerous article in a public place and possession of a controlled plant.
A witness Madeline Norquay told the court that Mr Pyke had run at Mr Lyden with a "going chain saw".
She said that Mr Pyke and his partner Ms Lowe had arrived at Mr Lyden's mother's house with a load of wood worth $200.
She said that an arrangement to deliver wood had been cancelled the week before but Mr Pyke had turned up nevertheless.
She said Ms Lowe had come into her bedroom and woken her up and yelled and swore loudly.
Mr Pyke gave evidence that he heard yelling and swearing from inside the house. He said a man had walked to the front of the house and pointed the firearm at him while holding an axe in the other hand.
The court heard that the firearm was a gelblaster which resembled a Glock pistol.
Mr Pyke said that he had got on the back of his utility and started the chain saw.
He said the man had said to him "You're dead".
Under cross examination from defence counsel Fran McCracken Mr Pyke denied that he had started the chainsaw and pointed it and threatened the man.
Ms Norquay told police prosecutor Katarina Gauden that the load of wood was not needed after Mr Lyden's mother organised her own load.
"I sent a message to cancel the load to Shelley," she said.
"Chris and I were in bed and she came in and started getting antsy when I refused to pay her $200.
"She started getting aggressive and mouthy towards Chris and I."
"Did you see Mr Pyke?," Ms Gauden asked.
"Yes he was standing at the back of the ute trying to throw it [the wood] into the shed .
"I told him he was an idiot for unloading the wood and he got mouthy and called me a slut a few times,"
"He said there had been an incident where Anthony had run at him with a chain saw. Chris did say that he had aimed the gelblaster at him," she said.
"He said Anthony did make contact with him, I can remember as clear as day.
"He came at Chris with a going chain saw."
Magistrate Ken Stanton viewed body worn camera footage of the arrest of Mr Lyden.
During the arrest he was asked by police where a quantity of cannabis had come from.
"It could have come from that guy that just chased me down the street with a chainsaw," Mr Lyden said.
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Mr Stanton issued a warrant for the arrest of Ms Lowe who did not show up as a witness.
The case was adjourned until March 25 at 2.15pm.
Later in the afternoon Mr Lyden pleaded guilty to three counts of common assault of Ms Norquay and 18 counts of breaching a family violence order which included sending abusive messages.
Ms McCracken told the court Mr Lyden had been in custody since October 12 2021 and submitted that it was sufficient time to mark the seriousness of the offences.
Mr Stanton adjourned the family violence and assault matters for sentence on January 31 at 2.15pm.
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