A Gore shearer who has served 10 previous sentences of imprisonment yesterday admitted beating and trying to strangle a colleague because he mistakenly believed the man was dealing drugs.
In the Alexandra District Court before Judge Kevin Phillips, Tawhi Nicolas Barrington Tamou (42) admitted assaulting Te Rapa Jackson with intent to injure him in Roxburgh on September 30.
Prosecuting Sergeant Ian Collin said Tamou and Mr Jackson worked in the same shearing gang.
At 9.05pm on September 30 Mr Jackson was talking on his cellphone to his wife. He saw Tamou's car pull into the shearing quarters car park.
''As the victim walked outside to his cabin he was punched unexpectedly to the side of the face with a closed fist,'' Sgt Collin said.
Mr Jackson fell to the ground where Tamou continued his assault, punching him about the head and face and attempting to gouge his eyes out using his thumbs ''while accusing him of being a drug dealer''.
Tamou grabbed Mr Jackson around the neck and squeezed his throat, while the victim ''pleaded'' to be let go and said Tamou had the wrong person.
The defendant walked away from the victim and Mr Jackson went to his crib, bleeding from the nose and mouth. He also sustained bruising to his face and head, bloodshot eyes and scratches.
Mr Jackson's wife was still on the phone and had heard the assault. She contacted the shearing contractor who called police.
Tamou told police he had heard Mr Jackson and his wife had been supplying drugs and he was ''against that''.
''He acknowledged he went about it the wrong way and was remorseful for his actions,'' Sgt Collin said.
Counsel Justine Baird said Tamou was remorseful and acknowledged ''he shouldn't have tried to take the law into his own hands''.
Judge Phillips said his offending was ''at the higher end'' and remanded Tamou on bail for a restorative justice process and ordered pre-sentence and emotional harm reports, an alcohol and drug assessment and an appendix to address home detention ahead of his sentencing in Alexandra on February 16.
Bail conditions included a curfew from 9pm to 6am and an order not to purchase, possess or consume alcohol or illegal drugs.
