Brendan Jonathon Wood sentenced in Tamworth court after motel brawl

A hearing was abandoned when Brendan Jonathon Wood back-flipped on his plea, and admitted to assaulting a man, and being armed with intent during a fight on Armidale Road, near the Almond Inn Motel.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to a set of amended facts when police dropped one charge of common assault; and one charge of drive under the influence of alcohol against him.

Court documents reveal Wood was driving a grey Toyota Landcruiser along Armidale Road at about 12:05am on March 9, 2023, when the car behind him started flashing its headlights.

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Wood pulled over outside the Almond Inn Motel when the victim approached Wood's car.

"Heated words were exchanged between the two," agreed facts state.

A commotion erupted when the victim then reached into Wood's car and took the keys from the ignition.

Wood drove away before returning on foot a short time later with friends.

Court documents state he was trying to find his mobile phone when Wood approached the victim and another verbal argument broke out.

The argument then turned physical when the victim tried to punch Wood, but was unsuccessful.

The Queensland man grabbed the victim, put him in a choke hold and wrestled him to the ground before he freed himself.

The victim punched Wood three times on the top of the head, before Wood punched him twice in the face.

The police facts state the victim was bleeding from his nose, left eye, and upper lip.

Wood walked up to a nearby parked car and grabbed two star pickets from the tray, and began to walk towards the victim and his friends.

According the police facts, the victim and his friends stepped in front of their cars to prevent Wood from damaging them with the star pickets.

Wood threw the star pickets away, and police arrived at the motel a short time later.

While talking to police the 37-year-old had "multiple sudden outbursts of anger", before he was arrested, handcuffed and taken to Tamworth Police Station.

In court, Wood pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm; stalking or intimidation; and one charge of being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Magistrate Julie Soars convicted the 37-year-old and sentenced him to a 12-month good behaviour order for the offences.

She added the conditions Wood must not be intoxicated in public, and follow all reasonable directions of his general practitioner.

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