Man who drank six litres of wine drunkenly attacked his father

Joshua Stephen Olding, 32, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a count of Criminal Code assault of Stephen Olding, 54, on December 2, 2022.

Acting Justice David Porter said that while Olding was remorseful a term of imprisonment was necessary.

The court heard that Olding had a fraught relationship with his father since 2013.

Olding was 31 and his father 54 at the time Olding called at his father's Prospect home about 9.30pm.

Mr Olding's father went to the door and his son was at the bottom of some stairs. He had consumed six litres of goon [cask wine] and was on drugs.

Olding asked for money and when the answer was negative a dispute arose.

The court heard that Olding first spat at the complainant and then threw a terracotta pot, hitting his father in the torso. When Mr Olding slumped to his knees his son punched him to the head.

"The complainant scruffed the accused and they both fell to the ground," a prosecutor said.

He said Mr Olding fell awkwardly causing him to roll his ankle.

Acting Justice Porter said the complainant suffered grazes to the face and leg, a broken right ankle and a fractured left foot.

"The complainant was required to use a wheelchair and had both feet in moonboots for 10 weeks," he said.

In a victim impact statement Mr Olding said he had missed three months of work because of the injuries.

Acting Justice Porter said Olding had tendency to act in a violent way and had convictions for assault back to 2007.

In 2010 Olding was sentenced to 30 months' jail for an aggravated burglary and for causing grievous bodily harm when he was one of five men who went to a house in Trevallyn and beat up an 18-year-old.

The court heard that Olding was released from jail on September 11 after a magistrate deemed he had served sufficient time for eight counts of offensive behaviour.

However, he was arrested on September 21 when an arrest warrant was issued after he failed to turn up in the Supreme Court in Launceston.

He was subject to two outstanding warrants at the time of arrest.

The court heard that he had since faced the Launceston Magistrates Court on charges arising from his rearrest.

He pleaded guilty to threatening, assaulting and abusing a police officer and a count of escape.

He faces sentence on December 8 for the Magistrates Court matters.

Acting Justice Porter imposed a nine month jail sentence and ordered that he be subject to a community correction order for 18 months upon his release.

He said it was in the public interest that he receive community support.