ENDEAVOUR HILLS HALLAM DOVETON
@StarJournal_SE
CFA to the rescue
Santa Zooms on in
State budget winners
All the action of the Cup
PAGE 2
PAGE 3
PAGE 7
SPORT
12472542-LN49-20
Enter now at
starcommunity.com.au/competitions
$500
There are FOUR to be WON...
$500
WOOLWORTHS GIFT CARDS $500
$500
40¢ Inc. GST
$500
/DandenongJournal
endeavourhillshallamdoveton.starcommunity.com.au
Tuesday, 1 December, 2020
Mercy granted A jealous man who tracked and brutally pummeled his estranged wife’s new beau at a country getaway has escaped ‘mandatory’ jail after her impassioned mercy plea to the court. In a “unique” and “exceptional” case, the County Court of Victoria granted mercy to the Endeavour Hills man to spare hardship to his ex-wife and - in the main - to his three young children on the autism spectrum. The man had tracked the couple with a mobile phone in her car’s boot to a Halls Gap cottage late at night in August 2018. Armed with a metal pole, he entered the cabin and bashed the male victim with “full force”. Six or seven “substantial” blows struck the victim’s head and several to the torso, judge David Brookes said during sentencing on 20 November. The victim managed to hide in vegetation. He sought help at a neighbouring cottage where he fell unconscious. In hospital, he received stitches for deep cuts behind his
DANDENONG 9794 0010
ear, to his forehead and leg. He later told police that he thought he was going to die. At one stage, the attacker stood over him and directly struck him with the pole to the forehead. He then drove at least 260 kilometres to Dandenong police station, where he made fulsome admissions about 2.25am. According to the defendant, he had known about the couple’s “friendship”. But until his arrival at the cottage, he didn’t realise their relationship was romantic. This spontaneously spurred his violent reaction, he argued. The man pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with an intent to assault - an offence punishable with a maximum 25 years’ jail. He also pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury and contravening a bail condition. On 20 November, Judge David Brookes noted that too often perpetrators are men who act with a “possessive violent rage” after a break-up. Continued page 7
Making it happen X Factor Australia contestant Mary Ann Van Der Horst is storming the world to win at Switzerland’s St Moritz Music Awards 2020 with her original song ‘Make It Happen’. She is set to appear at a very different Greater Dandenong Carols event this month. Turn to page 10. Picture: GARY SISSONS
Individual Tax Returns Property Investors Companies & Trusts Self Managed Super Funds Tax Returns Online www.rjsanderson.com.au 12391302-CG26-18