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Man, 65, fended off burglar with pitchfork

Police followed a trail of blood to arrest a man who was stabbed with a pitchfork by a 65-year-old when he broke into a house armed with a metal dumbbell bar.

Jan 18, 2021, updated Jan 18, 2021
Crown prosecutor Stephen Muir said Broom had "terrorised the building with complete indifference to life" and presented a danger to the community. (Photo: ABC)

Crown prosecutor Stephen Muir said Broom had "terrorised the building with complete indifference to life" and presented a danger to the community. (Photo: ABC)

Brandon James Ogborne admits breaking into his neighbour’s home, assaulting Robert Hodson and damaging a door and window on April 17 last year.

Police arrested the 32-year-old and his partner Samantha Lea Parker after following a trail of blood from the victim’s home in Wynnum West, east of Brisbane, to a property nearby.

Parker, now 40 years old, first knocked on Hodson’s door, asking to be let inside, crown prosecutor Zoe Holstein told Brisbane District Court.

He refused and shut the door after seeing Ogborne walking up the driveway.

Immediately after, Hodson heard doors banging and shaking and a person saying, “I’m going to kill you”.

Holstein said Hodson got a pitchfork from the back of his house to defend himself, while a visitor grabbed a baseball bat before they hid in a bedroom.

Parker allegedly broke a door and window before the couple pushed their way into the bedroom, while Hodson phoned police.

Ogborne was armed with the empty metal dumbbell bar, while Parker allegedly swung gardening shears at Hodson.

“The complainant picked up his pitchfork and began jabbing it at both defendants in their direction to get them out of the house,” Holstein told the court.

Both Ogborne and Parker sustained puncture wounds to their arms.

Police followed the blood trail, finding the baseball bat and metal bar at Ogborne’s house.

Defence barrister Jenna Johnsen said Ogborne was heavily intoxicated at the time of the offence.

Brisbane District Court Judge David Reid said Ogborne, Parker or others may have been killed.

“That’s the reason I’ve gone through the facts so you can understand how serious this violent home invasion was,” he told Ogborne.

The father-of-two was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to offences related to the burglary.

Judge Reid ordered Ogborne be eligible immediately for parole.

Parker has been charged, but is yet to enter a plea.

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