Judge slams ‘thuggish and deplorable’ actions of Bunbury man who brutally bashed another in his home

A District Court judge has slammed the “thuggish and deplorable” actions of a man who forced his way into a stranger’s home and brutally bashed the man his ex-partner was inside with. Waylon Mark Hill, 38, appeared in Busselton District Court on August 25 where he pleaded guilty to an aggravated burglary and assault occasioning bodily harm which occurred on February 7, 2024. The court was told Hill, along with a man named “Tricky,” had returned a lost dog to the victim’s address — where he lived with his mother — on February 6. The interaction was without event, but the pair returned about 12.30am, believing Hill’s ex-girlfriend was inside. The court was told Hill believed they were still in a relationship, but “she did not think the same”. Hill was told the victim’s mother would get the woman from inside, but instead Hill barged in, yelling out for her. The victim had been in his bedroom with the ex-partner, and Hill forced his way inside fighting with the man. He punched the victim in the face “a few times” but was forced back into the hall where Hill got a lighter and struck the victim multiple times to the head before being forced out the front door. The court was told Hill was later arrested but barely remembered the incident because he had been high on meth, with “rage and jealousy” consuming him. Judge Christian Miocevich, however, said that was no excuse. “You need to understand that she is not your property. She can see whoever she wishes to see,” he said. “Your actions this night were thuggish and deplorable. “The courts have an intolerance and abhorrence of domestic violence and men who think they own their partners, or even ex-partners, need to understand that.” Mr Miocevich said the attack inside the victim’s home was a serious offence which destroyed their feeling of safety and security. “Your offences profoundly affected both their lives and their loss of feeling safe and secure in their home,” he told Hill. “Home invasions with serious assaults leave victims feeling constantly at edge and anxious because the one place we all like to feel safe is home. “You’ve taken that away from them and ... it will unfortunately remain with them for a long time, if not a lifetime. “(The victim) was unknown to you and his only crime was to be with your ex-girlfriend. She (his mother) had to see her son get brutally bashed by you.” The court was told Hill had a “mostly positive and pro-social upbringing” but started abusing drugs after his father died. He is a father himself now, and has a record of some violent offending which included a jail stint in 2019. However, Mr Miocevich said Hill showed positive signs towards rehabilitation including having a job in prison and family support. Hill was sentenced to three years and six months behind bars, with the term backdated to February 7, 2024, when he was taken into custody. He will be eligible for parole from November 6. The offences breached a nine-month community based order, which he was placed on in 2023, but Mr Miocevich did not re-sentence Hill on those matters due to their age.