A man with a history of violent offending has pleaded guilty to bashing Casterton's postman in broad daylight.
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Samuel Edwards, 20, of Casterton, approached the town's delivery man who was riding a motorbike on Jackson Street on Wednesday about 12.30pm.
Edwards crossed the street, became aggressive and verbally abusive, and repeatedly punched the victim to the head.
He pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to recklessly causing injury and was placed on an 18-month community corrections order.
The court heard Edwards believed the postman was spreading a rumour about him driving a vehicle and nearly hitting the victim's daughter.
Edwards threatened the victim and struck him three times to the head before the postman attempted to drive away.
But the left handlebar of the motorbike became stuck in Edwards' shirt and the offender continued to repeatedly hit the victim in the head.
The man then flung the handle bar away from his body, causing the victim to lose control and crash to the ground.
The fall from the bike left the victim with cuts and abrasions to his right knee, elbow and shoulder.
The victim also complained of soreness to his right ribs.
He was conveyed to Hamilton Hospital for x-rays.
Senior Legal Aid lawyer Amanda Chambers said Edwards was a young offender with an IQ of 77, which she said was "only just above being officially regarded as someone with an intellectual disability".
She said the man had seven pages of criminal history, including another conviction for recklessly causing injury.
She that related to an incident when Edwards punched a man to the face.
"He acts compulsively with people he believes he has a beef with," Ms Chambers said.
"But he now regrets his behaviour, particularly after spending his very first night in custody."
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