A TERANG plumber is likely to lose 90 per cent of his business after being convicted of bashing a man who had a 10-year affair with his wife.
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Wesley Primrose , 39, of Cameron Street, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to being drunk, assaulting police, unlawful assault and recklessly causing injury.
He was convicted and placed on a 12-month community corections order with conditions he do 120 hours of community work as well as assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and programs as required.
Police said that soon after 1am on December 23 last year Primrose punched the victim in High Street near a fruit shop and then went to his home where the assault continued.
Primrose and the man had been friends for 20 years but that ended two years ago after what police described as "irreconcilable differences".
The first blow near the fruit shop hit the victim to the left side of his face and resulted in bleeding.
Primrose then went to the man's home, launched himself over an outdoor dining setting and twice punched the man to the ground before kicking him to the stomach.
Police were called and as they walked in Primrose punched the victim again, forcing him into bushes.
He also pushed the man's wife and she said "he was acting like Rocky, saying 'do you wanna fight'."
Police officers said Primrose was drunk, he resisted arrest and was taken to ground.
He constantly yelled obscenities at police and the victims, spat at officers and had to be taken out of a divisional van a number of times to have handcuffs repositioned.
The victim suffered bruising and cuts.
In a victim impact statement he said he had blurry vision, he was angry and hurt and had lost money as he had been unable to work.
His partner said she felt unsafe being out at night and feared Primrose would return to finish off the victim.
She said she no longer sat outside, was suffering a skin condition, had lost her appetite and was now on edge.
She had also been unable to work for a few days and her iPhone, valued at $450, was damaged.
Defence counsel Alex McCulloch said Primrose worked at South West TAFE teaching plumbing and 90 per cent of his business was government contracts - business he would lose if a conviction was recorded.
He said Primrose had been having difficulties in his relationship with his wife, but they were now working through their issues.
Primrose is a volunteer with the Country Fire Authority and State Emergency Service and had been an Auskick coach for five years.
Mr McCulloch said his client suffering depression, had alcohol issues and had been involved in self-harm attempts, but had sort assistance from the Western Region Alcohol and Drug centre which led to a drastic reduction in his alcohol consumption.
"This was a meltdown at a very difficult time. He has no memory of what happened whatsoever," he said.
Magistrate Cynthia Toose said it was a confronting summary which started in the street and ended at the victim's home.
"Clearly there was ill feeling between the men involved," she said.
"It was a very significant attack, sustained offending. It's very confronting.
"This is how domestic homicides happen."
Ms Toose said Primrose had no prior court appearances and "wonderful" references but a message had to be sent to the community that such behaviour was completely inappropriate.
She said if Primrose had come to court with any previous offending there was no question he would have been imprisoned.