Jury finds man guilty of attack
Wiedman to be sentenced Monday
AFTER almost three hours of deliberations, a jury of five men and seven women found David Gregory Wiedman guilty of committing a malicious act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The charge came after Wiedman shot Cameron Keith Boyd in the face with a bow and arrow last September, leaving the man with a six centimetre laceration exposing his chin bone.
The snake catcher’s legal team of solicitor Joe McConnell and barrister David Jones spent three days of the trial arguing that Wiedman had the right to defend his home after threats to “kill everyone inside” and “burn the place down” from Mr Boyd.
Video footage obtained from security cameras outside Wiedman’s home was played in slow motion to the jury numerous times during his defence’s closing arguments, as Mr Jones emphasised what he believed was a ricochet.
Throughout the trial in the Toowoomba District Court, defence relied on the potential ricochet to raise issues of reasonable doubt and whether Wiedman intended to hit Mr Boyd in the face.
The Crown, however, submitted there were no threats to kill or burn Wiedman’s home.
It was also argued that Mr Boyd “already had scars on his face” and “looked like he had a tough life” and could not have been seriously disfigured any more by the attack than he already was.
The jury were given two options yesterday, return a guilty to the original charge or a guilty verdict to an alternate charge of grievous bodily harm.
The father of two took the stand on day two of the trial, under going cross examination from crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie.
He said under oath he aimed for the pole, that he gave verbal commands and fired a warning shot to scare off Boyd, who had punched him in the face through a screen door prior to the incident boiling over.
Wiedman took to the stand and demonstrated with the weapon to the jury just how he held the bow when he loosed the hunting arrow.
Judge Craig Chowhury ordered Wiedman be held in custody and his sentencing be adjourned until Monday.