MAN RUNS OVER MATE
Loyal act breaks friend’s leg, court hears
A MAN was run over with his own car by a friend who was trying to protect him during a violent street brawl in North Geelong, a court has heard.
To make matters worse for the victim, the fracas on October 21 last year came about because of a barney with his brother.
Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard about the calamity on Monday, when the driver, Mark Beckwith, pleaded guilty to counts of affray, reckless conduct endangering life, possessing a dangerous article and driving disqualified.
Beckwith, 47, had to come to the aid of his friend Jason Hapgood, who had been tracked to Coxon Pde, North Geelong, by his brother, Darren Hapgood, and two friends.
Aware the trio were looking for him and had sent him threatening messages, Jason Hapgood stepped onto the street armed with a crowbar, with Beckwith at his side, brandishing an aluminium spirit level, the court heard.
Police prosecutor SeniorConstable Kylie Jane said Darren Hapgood had limited involvement in the fight that followed, but his friends overpowered his brother, and one held the man down and punched him while the other stomped on his head.
Beckwith suffered a cut to his wrist when one of the attackers produced a knife as he tried to defend Jason Hapgood, the court heard.
Magistrate John Lesser was told the defendant then retreated to a maroon Holden Commodore and tried to use it to defend the man.
However, when he drove the vehicle over the gutter it hit one of the attackers but also ran over his friend’s ankle.
Beckwith’s lawyer said the man tried to “disturb” the attackers.
“(He thought) ‘My mate’s getting the worst of a very bad treatment’ ... his sole concern was to protect his friend,” he said.
However, the court heard after driving at the men, Beckwith rammed the Commodore into a Ford that Darren Hapgood was in, and then chased him twice around the block in the car.
Sen-Const Jane accepted the man’s intent was to help his friend, but said by using the car as a weapon he could’ve caused “dire consequences”.
“Thankfully we’re only talking about some cuts and bruises and a broken ankle for his friend,” she said.
Mr Lesser acknowledged the man was “not the main protagonist”, but said the potential of his actions needed to be accounted for.
He ordered Beckwith onto a year-long community corrections order, with 120 hours of unpaid community work. The man also had his driver’s licence cancelled for a year.