Magistrate John Murphy made the comment when adjourning the sentencing of two men who pleaded guilty to a charge of recklessly causing serious injury.

Ryan Harmer, 19, and Christopher Manoza, 18, appeared in Wodonga Magistrates Court after an incident at a house in Lawrence Street, Wodonga, about 2.45am on March 7.

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They went there seeking to assist an intoxicated woman who had gone to the residence and attacked a man.

The victim was kneed, punched repeatedly and hit his head on concrete after going to the ground.

Three staples were inserted into a wound at the back of his head, he suffered bruising to both eyes and his body along with cuts to an eye and his lip.

Mr Murphy said there were no better places in Australia to live than Albury and Wodonga.

It was conceded by him that he would probably live in Albury if he didn’t own a property near Benalla.

He said both the police and himself, like the public, were getting sick of thuggery and violence.

Mr Murphy said recently he read with interest an article in The Border Mail with comments by Albury surgeon John Hennessy about facial injuries.

There were nine images of X-rays displayed along with Dr Hennessy’s comments.

“There was one image in particular that stood out to me,” Mr Murphy said.

A victim had been hit in the face and there was a hole that looked like it was inflicted by a hammer.

But Mr Murphy said the severe injury had been made by someone’s knuckle.

He also cited the case of Scottish migrant Billy Winter, 49, who was killed near Wodonga’s Birallee Tavern in 2008 after being hit on the head by a garden stake.

Mr Murphy said police and an ambulance were at the scene within minutes, but Mr Winter died.

“That case highlighted to me how easily a death can occur,” Mr Murphy said.

He adjourned the sentencing of Harmer and Manoza until September 9, telling them they were in trouble.