A Newcastle man living in a car park has avoided a prison sentence after a violent confrontation with a love rival, which involved chasing him with a loaded speargun.
Car park confrontation escalates to weapons
Dale Chad Coleman, 44, was living in an unregistered motorhome at the Horseshoe Beach car park in Newcastle when the incidents occurred. The court heard he was involved in an unusual open relationship with a woman who also lived at the site, leading to tensions with another man.
The first clash happened on June 23, 2025. The victim arrived to help the woman move belongings when Coleman approached aggressively. After the victim got into his car to leave, Coleman appeared armed with a pick handle and a shovel, threatening to smash his head in. He then slammed the shovel onto the car's bonnet until the victim reversed away.
Loaded speargun chase through camping ground
The situation escalated dramatically weeks later on July 8, 2025. When the victim returned with a friend, Coleman again confronted him. This time, he retrieved a loaded speargun from his motorhome and chased the man around the car park, yelling "I am going to kill you."
The victim refused to leave, and Coleman eventually stopped the pursuit. Police arrested Coleman the following night. He initially claimed he armed himself in self-defence.
Court outcome and site safety concerns
Coleman pleaded guilty in Newcastle Local Court to multiple charges, including carrying a speargun in a manner likely to injure. He had already spent six weeks in custody after his arrest.
Magistrate Stephen Olischlager noted the actions would have caused "significant fear" for the victim. He stated that without the time already served, a jail term would have been likely. Instead, Coleman was placed on a two-year community corrections order.
The case highlighted ongoing issues at the Horseshoe Beach car park, which had been described as overrun and so unsafe that council staff were advised to avoid it. Coleman's motorhome was removed after his bail was refused.
