Gerard Watson, 36, and Mitchell Younger, 30, both from Tatura, have faced Shepparton Magistrates’ Court over the assault, which occurred on October 13 last year.
Watson pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury, while Younger pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury.
Prosecutor Matthew Weinman told the court Watson and Younger had been drinking with friends earlier in the night where they “were told a version of events” about an incident involving the victim in this matter and one of their female friends, and formed the opinion he was a “woman basher”.
The pair decided to go to their victim’s home at 3am to “teach him a lesson”, Mr Weinman said.
The court heard the pair found the victim in bed at his home and that Younger punched him half a dozen times in the head, before Watson repeatedly struck his torso with a golf club he had brought with him.
In a police interview, Watson said they had assaulted the victim in his bed because he assaulted their friend, Mr Weinman said.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said his life had “forever changed” and he had left his home and his job since then “because I no longer feel safe”.
He also said he experienced flashbacks and nightmares since the assault, and now had post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I hope one day I can move on from the trauma,” the victim said.
He also said he had a tear to the retina in his eye — but defence counsels for the men did not accept this came from the attack.
Watson’s barrister Christopher Terry conceded it was a nasty assault, but said his client was “immediately remorseful”.
“It has all the hallmarks from a man who woke from a big night drinking with remorse,” he said.
Mr Terry said the offending occurred in the context of binge drinking, but that his client had completely quit alcohol since that night.
Mr Terry also handed up eight references in support of Watson.
Giving evidence at court, Watson said he had written a letter of apology to the victim — who had been in the same friendship group as him.
“It was the biggest mistake I ever made,” Watson said of the incident.
“It was a silly decision and I’ll have to live with the repercussions.”
Watson told the court he used to self-medicate his anxiety with alcohol, and when he drank on weekends “it would be to excess”.
Mr Terry said “the injuries the matter resolved on were towards the lower end of the scale” — citing bruising and swelling.
He also said the impetus for the offending was that Watson had “a strong protective instinct when he heard allegations of violence against his friend”, but got “carried away”.
Mr Terry asked for a fine for his client.
Younger’s barrister Emily Clark said there was no disputing that the event would have had a significant impact on the victim, but she said assertions by the victim that it had caused the breakdown of his relationship were not true.
“Clearly this was a misguided incident and came from the amount of alcohol consumed,” Ms Clark said.
She handed up seven letters in reference in support of her client, saying he was a “kind, respectful, hard-working man, who has made a terrible error of judgment”.
Ms Clark said her client had addressed his behaviour since that night, and had excellent prospects of rehabilitation.
The court was also told neither of the men had any prior criminal history.
While conceding the future prospects of both men were good, Mr Weinman said the impact of the attack had been “profound”.
He also said both men had had “time to calm down” between hearing about the alleged assault on their friend and the attack on the victim at his house.
Watson and Younger will be sentenced in August.
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