Man told 'Monty Python-esque' lie after brutal attack at caravan park

Wayne Dennert, 58, was found guilty during a Warrnambool County Court trial of intentionally causing serious injury to Brendan Nancarrow, and on May 1, 2024, was jailed for 10 years.

He must serve a non-parole period of six years and 10 months.

The two men were staying at the Hamilton Caravan Park on April 24, 2021, when Dennert repeatedly hit the victim with an iron bar, leaving him in hospital for months with multiple broken bones.

Dennert had claimed he thought a group of 10 people were breaking into his caravan, and he acted in self-defence.

Judge Rosemary Carlin said Dennert's claim that Mr Nancarrow repeatedly charged at him was "Monty Python-esque in its ludicrousness".

"It was complete nonsense," she said in sentencing.

The judge said a group of men staying at the caravan park had spoken to Mr Nancarrow in the lead-up to the brutal assault, with one witness stating the victim was a "really nice bloke" who was intoxicated and looking for his caravan.

She said some time later the witness heard a sound like a bat repeatedly hitting concrete, followed by screams of help.

The group ran to help and, using their phone torches, saw Mr Nancarrow lying on the ground near the wheel of Dennert's caravan.

"He was helpless and posing absolutely no danger to you," Judge Carlin said.

She said Dennert was observed standing over the victim, "whacking" him with a metal pole, despite his pleas to stop.

"You used the iron bar to savagely beat a defenceless and vulnerable man," the judge said.

"After he fell to the ground you struck him again and again, only desisting when other people intervened."

Judge Carlin commended the actions of the group in intervening and assisting Mr Nancarrow in his time of need.

She said in the moments after the attack, Dennert retreated to his caravan, rang triple-zero and falsely reported people had broken into his caravan and were "smashing it up".

She said the story was not only a lie but an attempt to justify what Dennert knew was unjustifiable.

"You had savagely beaten Mr Nancarrow for no good reason and you knew it," she said.

The victim suffered life-threatening and long-lasting injuries.

In an impact statement, Mr Nancarrow said he still had trouble writing his own name or shaking someone's hand due to his injuries, and since the assault felt extremely jumpy and nervous for no reason.

The judge said the only thing she accepted was Dennert heard a noise, went to investigate and his ability to react appropriately to a perceived theft was compromised.

She said the man had a propensity for violence, a personality disorder and his barrister had claimed a head injury following a 1985 car accident that resulted in memory, perception and balance issues.

Judge Carlin said in the days after Dennert was found guilty, he was reviewed in custody and quoted saying he "beat a cu** half to death with a metal bar" and if he had killed him and put him in the bush, he wouldn't be in jail.

She said she was concerned about the man's prospects of rehabilitation and insight into his offending.

Dennert has served more than three years in pre-sentence detention.