JOHN Robert Wishart was in a bad mood in January, angry about the breakdown of a relationship with a belief he had recently been bashed at the behest of a North Albury man after an incident between them.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wishart drank heavily on January 10, helped his younger brother Matthew buy a machete in Wodonga and then got involved in a violent confrontation with the man he held responsible for his bashing.
It resulted in Wishart being charged with affray by police and now he is spending time in jail.
Wishart, 23, of Queen Street, Culcairn, appeared in Albury Local Court for sentencing and magistrate Tony Murray imposed an overall term of 14 months with a seven-month non-parole period.
The machete was bought by his brother Matthew for $25 but John had to show his identification for its purchase.
The man held responsible for the bashing was on his front lawn in Resolution Street about 8pm when a vehicle being driven by someone else and carrying the Wishart brothers pulled up on the opposite side of the road.
John Wishart approached the man and said: “Do you want to have a go one-on-one now?”
His younger brother got out of the car, raised the machete above his head and told the victim: “I’ll kill you. You wanna bash my brother.”
The victim walked backwards through his front gate with the brothers advancing on him.
An attempt was made to shut the gate but Matthew Wishart kicked it open with the victim’s wife and young child sitting on the front step of their house.
The machete was swung at the victim but connected with a piece of rope tied from the gate to the house and deflected, narrowly missing.
He managed to shut the gate and the brothers were outside yelling abuse and making threats.
The victim went inside, armed himself with an ornamental sword and went outside where the brothers were on the roadway.
John Wishart was arguing with a nearby resident who had warned him about his behaviour with many families living in the street.
Wishart shaped up in a boxing stance and Matthew told the other man to get away from his brother.
Others waiting in the vehicle told the Wishart brothers they were idiots and the police would soon arrive.
They got back in the car and drove off with John Wishart attending the police station 14 days later.
Matthew Wishart, 18, was due for sentencing on an affray charge, but now disputes some of the facts; his case was adjourned.
