The injuries of two men hurt in a machete attack in Wangaratta will be examined before the alleged offender decides if he will plead guilty.
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Paul Kerr, 46, has been charged with intentionally causing injury and affray over his role in a brawl on White Street on May 20.
The affray became deadly when the two men injured by the machetes, cousins Jacob Allan and Christopher Meaney, allegedly fought back and attacked two of Kerr’s friends.
Allan remains in custody charged with the murder of Wangaratta man Russell Berry, while Meaney was sentenced to 18 months’ jail for charges including intentionally causing injury.
Police allege the cousins started the fight, but Kerr escalated the situation when he produced two machetes.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Heath Dosser told Wangaratta Magistrates Court on Monday a statement from the treating doctor at the hospital provided information on the injuries caused, which included a broken elbow and various cuts and bruises.
Solicitor Joe Battiato said he wanted further medical records.
“I’d like to see if there is any medical evidence, as far as the victims are concerned,” he said.
“(Kerr and his friends) were set upon by two people and my client’s friend was killed in the affray.
“The question is ‘who brought the machetes?’.”
Mr Battiato said he had explained to Kerr the benefits of an early guilty plea.
He also revealed Kerr would be a key witness in the prosecution’s case against Allan and had provided a statement to homicide detectives conducting the murder investigation.
Leading Senior Constable Dosser said Kerr would not be treated as a “serious violent offender”, under the Victorian government’s new legislation introduced this year, which allows the state’s worst violent criminals to be detained up to three years after their sentence ends.
Kerr’s case was adjourned until November 20, when he is expected to decide whether he will plead guilty or not guilty. Allan’s case is due to appear back in court earlier in November.