Jleal Blacklock jailed in Tamworth court for Warral Road axe attack

Jleal Blacklock was jailed for five years in Tamworth District Court after pleading guilty to wounding a person with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm during a daylight attack in March, last year.

After a three-year non-parole period was imposed, and time served, the 27-year-old will become eligible for release in May, 2025.

Judge Andrew Coleman read the horror details of the offending during sentencing.

The court heard Blacklock asked a man for a cigarette while on Cossa Street in West Tamworth about 10.30am on March 31, 2022, but the man said he didn't smoke.

Blacklock continued to chat as the man headed towards a bus stop on Warral Road, which left him feeling "intimidated" by the "repetitive questioning".

Blacklock approached a red Toyota Hilux ute with tools in the back and grabbed a mattock - which is like a pickaxe - and suddenly began to yell at the victim that he was "going to die now".

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The victim fled on foot but Blacklock gave chase, swinging the weapon, and yelling "I'm going to kill you", according to the agreed facts.

The man ran across the railway line, and the pair were separated by a safety fence near the Duri Road and Robert Street roundabout.

Blacklock swung the mattock towards the man, hitting his head and body, and continuing to swing and yell at him as the victim got up off the ground.

The victim's phone fell out of his pocket during the terrifying ordeal, and Blacklock put it in his own pocket.

The man tried to get help from members of the public using the busy road, and police were called.

Highway patrol officers arrived to discover the bloody victim holding his head. Blacklock was still holding the wooden pickaxe, and was still yelling at the victim "you are still alive, I am gonna kill you".

As police arrested Blacklock, he said to officers: "I'm going to kill you too, dog".

Ambulance paramedics rushed to treat the victim, who told police the axe-wielding offender had asked him for money then followed him.

The victim was hospitalised and was treated for an eight-centimetre wound on his scalp, which required staples, a cut to his left shoulder that was three or four centimetres deep, as well as cuts to his elbow and lip.

Back at the police station, a credit card was found on Blacklock which had been stolen earlier that month from North Tamworth.

His sentence took into account charges of aggravated steal from a person and inflict actual bodily harm, relating to the victim's mobile phone; and goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen.

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