Two men have pleaded guilty over a violent home invasion in Newcastle in December 2017, during which a man was shot in the face with a sawn-off shotgun. Joshua Rae admitted to causing grievous bodily harm, possessing a shortened firearm without authority, and being involved in a police pursuit, among other charges. His co-accused, Dion Welsh, pleaded guilty to entering the victim's unit with intent to intimidate after gun-related charges were withdrawn.
The victim, Philip Stennett, suffered severe injuries when half of his jaw, tongue, and the right side of his face were blasted off. He spent weeks in intensive care and had to re-learn basic functions. Stennett told the ABC he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the attack and recalled having to eat pureed steak through a straw during his recovery.
According to police facts, Stennett defended himself with a samurai sword, slashing Welsh's arm, after the two men and an unidentified third person burst into his Hamilton unit. Stennett's mother, Janice, said her son had to relearn everyday tasks. Despite the trauma, Stennett noted he lost 55 kilograms due to the liquid diet, but was upset about losing his long red hair, which doctors shaved before surgeries.
Rae's sentencing has been delayed for several weeks after his lawyer requested a mental health assessment. The court proceedings mark a step toward closure for Stennett, who expressed relief that the men pleaded guilty to the attack that changed his life.
