Prison for ’selfish’ attacker

Assault permanently damages elderly woman’s vision

A GEELONG man who almost blinded a 71-year-old woman after pouring cleaning products over her head has learned his fate.

Benjamin Cazaly told the victim: “I could do bad things to you if I wanted,” while pouring cleaning products, including Pine O Cleen, over the victim’s head.

On Friday, the 41-year-old, whose crimes also included puncturing a man’s lung with a knife, was sentenced to two years and 10 months’ imprisonment in the Geelong County Court.

The court heard he had been living on the victim’s couch and was relying on her for transportation before carrying out the random attack on January 12, 2020.

Cazaly started pouring liquid on the victim’s head, including alcohol, cordial and milk, before turning to cleaning products typically used on floors.

Despite his victim sustaining an initial loss of vision, he ordered her to drive him to Torquay for a swim and poked at her with a large stick, breaking the skin on her face.

The victim was taken to hospital the next day after bystanders saw her stumbling.

During this time Cazaly took the victim’s credit card to buy items valued at $109 from local supermarkets and McDonald’s.

He pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly causing serious injury, common assault and obtaining property by deception, appearing before the County Court from Marngoneet Correctional Centre, where he had been remanded for 724 days.

Judge Gerard Mullaly called the offending “bizarre and dangerous”.

“This was exasperated because rather than helping her as she had been helping you in the past, you made more selfish demands,” Judge Mullaly said.

The victim was hospitalised for 10 days, and now lives with permanently blurry vision.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: “I will not trust any person again and I will not let them into my house.”

Judge Mullaly said Cazaly’s history of childhood abuse, drug use and homelessness reduced his moral culpability.

“You have done what you can in prison to commence rehabilitation,” he said.

“This is your time to stop. I am sure you have seen cycles of crime and imprisonment, and I urge you not to become one of those.”

Community Corrections Victoria deemed Cazaly as high risk of reoffending, with judicial monitoring to be undertaken as part of a 2½ year community corrections order.

With time served, he will walk free in 10 months.