A METAL pole in one hand and a meat clever in the other, Walther Wittmaack swung and struck his neighbour in the forearm, causing a deep laceration, after the man came onto his property, advanced towards him on the front porch and tried to punch him.
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Wittmaack, 33, had moments earlier injected himself into a neighbourhood dispute, telling Jamie Totten, 31, to "shut up" as Mr Totten argued with other residents in the unit block at Churchill Crescent, Rutherford, on December 17 last year.
Mr Totten called out to Wittmaack "it's got nothing to do with you" and kept yelling at him, prompting Wittmaack to walk outside his unit armed with the metal pole and meat cleaver.
The pair argued some more and then Mr Totten opened Wittmaack's front gate, walked onto his property and advanced towards him on his front porch, according to court documents.
Mr Totten threw a punch at Wittmaack, but Wittmaack sidestepped and swung the meat clever, missing Mr Totten. Wittmaack then swung the meat cleaver again, striking Mr Totten in the forearm, causing a deep wound.
Mr Totten then grabbed Wittmaack and forced him to the ground, where he punched and kicked him multiple times.
Wittmaack struck Mr Totten in the leg with the metal pole and then Mr Totten left his property and asked a neighbour to call an ambulance. He later underwent surgery and will suffer short and potentially long term disability in his arm.
Wittmaack was arrested about 8pm on December 17 and spent four days behind bars before being granted conditional bail.
He has since pleaded guilty to reckless grievous bodily harm and was due to be sentenced on Friday, but the matter was adjourned until March.