An 83-year-old Zeehan man who attacked his two housemates with a hatchet after they told him they wanted to move out has been sentenced to three and a half years in jail.
Richard Andrew Burke appeared in the Launceston Supreme Court and admitted to attacking his housemates while they were sleeping in their bedroom at 4am on June 19, 2021.
The court heard Burke lived with 80-year-old Wendy Geddes and her daughter, 65-year-old Tracey Geddes.
"You went into their room, armed with a hatchet, while they were both asleep and struck Wendy in the head," Supreme Court Justice Robert Pearce said in his sentencing submissions.
"Woken by this, Tracy ran over to disarm you … you then struck her on her arm and head.
"Wendy wrestled with you and disarmed you … they then took their car keys and fled, and called the police."
Tensions flared after houseboat plans
The court heard the three had been friends for over a decade and shared a loved of boats.
The tension between them had arose when the Geddess decided to move to Victoria and buy a houseboat.
The court heard Burke had paid the deposit for the Zeehan house they lived in and the women were going to contribute the remainder after the sale of their house in Queenstown.
But the women changed their minds and told Burke they were going to move.
"You became angry and upset," Justice Pearce said.
Burke pleaded guilty to committing an unlawful act intended to cause bodily harm by striking Wendy Geddes in the head, face and arms, causing deep lacerations.
He also pleaded guilty to intentionally causing bodily harm to Tracey Geddes by striking her to the head and left arm with the same axe.
The court heard the women were deeply religious and had suffered psychologically since the attack.
Justice Pearce also said Burke and his mother were prisoners of war in World War II.
Burke will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
