Two thugs who bashed man in front of his family jailed

• From: Herald Sun June 16, 2010

TWO thugs who launched a sickening attack on a father, during which they held his head under water and battered him with golf clubs and a tree branch, were jailed today.

French, Thomas, and Ludeman then set upon Mr Abel.

"The three commenced to punch and kick the victim, grabbing his beard and attempting to gouge his face,'' Judge Campton said.

"At the scene were located a number of clumps of hair from the victim's beard.

"Mr Abel feared for his safety. His wife and four children were all close to where the assault occurred.''

Judge Campton said Mr Abel had his head held under the water, was punched a number of times, then struck across the back with a tree branch.

French, Thomas and Ludeman went to their car and retrieved golf clubs and then surrounded the victim, smashing his head, legs and torso with the clubs.

"During the attack, one of the golf clubs was broken,'' the judge said. ''One of the accused attempted to stab the victim in the stomach with the broken club.''

Brady screamed abuse at Mr Abel's wife, Caroline Mahoney, and used the broken shaft of the golf club to threaten her.

Judge Campton said Mr Abel, a truck driver, sustained multiple injuries, included scalp lacerations, bruising and spinal injuries.

She read from victim impact statements where Ms Mahoney described the horror of watching her husband being beaten up and said the family would never recover from their ordeal.

French, of Croydon, and Thomas, of Collingwood, both pleaded guilty in the County Court to intentionally causing serious injury and Thomas also pleaded guilty to assault.