Lloyd was renting premises in the city’s industrial estate to a man described as being “large with a prior history of violence”.

The victim had made threats to Lloyd, who decided to take Benalla men Robert Kilpatrick and Ryan Nayda with him in a bid to get his money about 8am on November 16 last year.

But as a solicitor representing one of the men said yesterday: “Things went pear-shaped”.

There was a confrontation and the victim fled to an earthmoving business, hiding in the toilet before being found and struck with a shifting spanner by Kilpatrick.

Lloyd was shouting to the other two: “Get him back inside, get him back inside”.

Kilpatrick continued his assault and Nayda used a solid piece of plastic tubing to assault the victim, who suffered welts to his body from it.

The assault was continuing when police arrived and arrested the three men.

Lloyd, 61, Kilpatrick, 46, and Nayda, 29, each pleaded guilty yesterday in Wangaratta Magistrates Court to an affray charge with several other charges being withdrawn.

Magistrate Phil Golberg was told Lloyd had no physical involvement in the ­assault.

Solicitor Peter Dunn, representing Kilpatrick, said the victim was a violent man.

Two days after the attack, police raided his ­residence.

He was refused bail because of his violent record.

Mr Dunn said the victim was subsequently charged with drug-trafficking along with offences involving wildlife and jailed.

Barrister Nick Papas SC, representing Lloyd, made a submission seeking no conviction be imposed.

But it was rejected by Mr Goldberg.

He said upset, distressed and horrified onlookers had contacted police.

“You were the primary instigator of the event although you did not anticipate it would turn out the way it did,” Mr Goldberg told Lloyd.

Lloyd was convicted and fined $8000 with both Kilpatrick and Nayda being put on 12-month community corrections orders with convictions imposed.

Mr Goldberg has ordered Nayda to perform 200 hours of unpaid community work and Kilpatrick 250 hours.