Camperdown's Joshua Bond accepts offer of straight six-month jail term

Joshua James Bond, 26, of Gunner Street, Camperdown, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to about a dozen assaults, theft, burglary and driving offences, including driving in a dangerous manner.

After being given an option by magistrate Gerard Lethbridge, Bond decided to take a straight six-month jail sentence rather than four months' imprisonment followed by another community corrections order.

Mr Lethbridge told Bond that corrections order did not suit everyone and if the defendant served six months in prison he would leave custody free and clear of any responsibilities.

Bond took the straight six-month sentence offer, with 97 days counts as already served.

He was also banned from driving for six months.

The magistrate imposed a four-month jail sentence for stomping on the victim's head to the point he was rendered unconscious.

Two months was added for theft of a vehicle, driving offences and the burglary of an unoccupied house.

Police said Bond and the Cobden victim were associates and Bond went to his home late on April 8.

It was alleged the victim had signed a written note transferring ownership of a vehicle to Bond, but then reneged on the deal, which infuriated the defendant, who had paid him a small amount of cash.

Bond told the victim he was at his home to bash him and his mother.

The victim became angry and pushed Bond, who put him in a headlock.

The victim then got hold of a sharpened butter knife, was waving it around in effort to break free and then slashed Bond to the face with the knife, causing a five centimetre cut across Bond's lip and right cheek.

The injury infuriated Bond, who grabbed hold of a rasp and hit the victim to the head multiple times in retaliation.

When the victim fell to the ground suffering a large laceration to his head and no longer posed a threat, Bond stomped on his head and kicked him multiple times to the head and shoulder.

The victim suffered lacerations to his head and a broken shoulder.

He woke with water dripping on him from a damaged fish tank and police were called.

Police said at 11.45am on June 16 Bond was captured on CCTV footage at an address in Cobden before he went to another address in Silvester Street, where he jumped in a car and drove off towing a trailer.

The victim reported his vehicle stolen and police found the 1997 Toyota LandCruiser at an address at Gunner Street in Camperdown.

Police tried to intercept Bond, who backed up in an attempt to avoid police, jack-knifing the trailer which collided with a police vehicle.

Police officers smashed a driver's side window, deployed OC spray and Bond was arrested.

During an interview, Bond told police he acted in self-defence when he hit the victim with a rasp, but agreed his actions were excessive when he stomped on the man's head and kicked him until he was unconscious.

He said he regretted his actions.

Bond was also forensically linked to the burglary of an unoccupied home in Cobden in early June.

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