Every night as Brendan Leach lays his head down and begins to fall asleep he pictures a gang of masked men climbing through his window in the dark.
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The 70-year-old grandfather lost vision in one eye during a terrifying attack late at night, whilst camping with family near Bendigo.
His two grandsons were inside their tent when a group of men showed up wearing balaclavas at 2am and attacked Mr Leach after an earlier altercation over loud music.
"My mind has seen masked and hooded offenders coming in through the bedroom window," Mr Leach, wearing an eye patch and accompanied by an assistance dog, told the County Court on Wednesday.
"I recall the intense fear that we had, that the two boys were in the tent. I really did think they were going to kill us.
"That's what I experience every night when I go to bed."
Corey Ashenden, 26, and Waylon Wenske, 27, both on bail, faced the court in Bendigo for a pre-sentence hearing over the incident.
Wenske had set up his campsite with a friend near the Leach family about 9.30pm on October 4, 2019, at English Bridge campground in Goornong near Bendigo, the court heard.
Mr Leach's son, Christopher, walked over and told Wenske "turn the f***ing music down", but Wenske refused.
Christopher hit Wenske in the head with his torch, leaving him with cuts and a bloody forehead. Brendan Leach arrived as Wenske lunged at Christopher and a brawl ensued.
Wenske left the campground, but returned about 2am after picking up Ashenden and another man.
Christopher and his father came out and told the men there were women and children inside the tents.
Brendan Leach grabbed a pole, but before he could defend himself Ashenden punched his head. He remembers pushing his eye ball back into its socket.
His right eye has been removed, cutting his vision in half and affecting his balance.
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Christopher drove out of the campground, hoping to lead the men out, but they did not follow. When he returned Wenske smashed his car windows, dragged him out, punched and kicked him.
Ashenden has admitted recklessly and intentionally causing serious injury to Brendan and drug charges. Wenske has pleaded guilty to recklessly and intentionally causing injury to Christopher.
Judge Mark Gamble said Christopher's actions in confronting Wenske about the music were provocative but did not excuse the offenders' decision to return to the campsite for a fight.
"That sort of vigilante-type response is to be deplored and discouraged for obvious reasons," he said.
Ashenden's lawyer Michael Turner accepted his client will likely face prison due to the seriousness of his offending, but asked for his sentence to be combined with a community work order.
He said Ashenden is no longer a drug user and has settled down with a partner and child.
Wenske's lawyer Julian Lowy asked for his client to be handed a community work order.
"He regrets going back to the campsite. He wishes he'd just written down the number plate and gone to hospital," he said.
The hearing continues on Friday.
Australian Associated Press
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