A Canberra man has been handed a nine-month suspended sentence for assaulting his elderly neighbour, with a magistrate warning he has 'a sword hanging over his head'. Laurence James Rousell, 43, was convicted over the attack, which stemmed from a long-running feud between the two families.
The court heard that in October last year, Rousell went to the neighbour's home and punched the victim multiple times in the head, causing serious facial injuries to his mouth and teeth. Rousell initially claimed he was hit with a golf club after a verbal altercation, and told police he blacked out and came to while straddling the victim and hitting him.
Magistrate Ken Cush noted that Rousell showed no remorse and that tensions between the households remained unresolved. Rousell's lawyer stated the family had requested a move through Housing ACT but had been unsuccessful.
Prosecutor Phoebe Burgoyne-Scutts told the court that other neighbours intervened to stop the attack after the victim's wife was injured trying to drive Rousell away. She said Rousell appeared to have anger management issues and had failed to acknowledge the crime, adding, 'He thinks he has been hard done by in this process.'
Magistrate Cush described the assault as 'of a very serious nature' and warned Rousell, 'You cannot afford to get into any sort of incident at all.' When Rousell asked if his six days in jail had been considered, the magistrate replied, 'You are very lucky you are not going to jail.'
