Sean Graham Gudgeon, 34, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm. Photo: Albert McKnight.
A delivery driver repeatedly ran at and pushed a man during an argument while dropping off a television, knocking him over and tearing a ligament in his knee.
The ACT Magistrates Court heard the victim’s wife claimed the delivery driver, Sean Graham Gudgeon, had been abusive to her over the phone on the morning of 24 January 2025.
This angered the victim and he went downstairs in their apartment block then got into an argument with Gudgeon, which escalated into the latter saying, “Do you want to fight? Let’s go outside”.
“If you touch me that’s assault,” the victim replied.
The court heard how shortly afterwards, Gudgeon ran at the victim three times in front of witnesses and shoved him in the chest each time.
On the last occasion, a tradesman working nearby tried to intervene, but Gudgeon pushed him aside and shoved the victim once again, knocking him to the ground.
The victim found he couldn’t stand up and was later confirmed to have torn his anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in his knee.
The pain was unbearable for the first five weeks and he now walks with a limp and has difficulty walking up stairs or for long distances, the court heard.
In a statement read to the ACT Galambany Court on Wednesday (14 January), the victim said the pain and anger he experienced at first was “like a cancer eating away at me”.
But after reflection, he forgave Gudgeon and hoped he sought help for himself “so he can live a better life”.
Gudgeon pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm before facing the circle sentencing court and telling its elders, “I feel awful”.
“I’d definitely apologise for everything,” the 34-year-old said.
“That’s not usually me.
“I regret everything that did happen in that scenario.”
When the elders asked what he had learned from these proceedings, he said, “There’s no good outcome that can come from any type of anger or violence”.
His defence lawyer said he had experienced childhood trauma, lived with a physical health condition and had been suffering from significant grief at the time of the assault, as a family member recently died.
The lawyer suggested the court could grant a non-conviction order, but this was opposed by the prosecutor.
Magistrate Jane Campbell said Gudgeon showed remorse and had excellent prospects of rehabilitation, but had been convicted of an assault in 2013 and she thought his anger management needed addressing.
She declined to make a non-conviction order as she thought that would not recognise the harm caused to his victim nor the repeated nature of the assault.
Gudgeon was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour order. He must also pay the victim $765 to cover medical expenses.
It’s a headache because it was not well thought out. Knee jerk reaction. View