A MAN'S actions have been described by a magistrate as a "harsh lesson" learnt, after the 21-year-old suffered serious injuries during an "erratic" outburst.
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With a sling around his left shoulder holding a bandaged forearm, Hayden Grace of The Bridle Track, Duramana stood before Bathurst Local Court on July 5, 2023 to plead guilty to damaging property.
Grace was in an Isuzu MU-X heading along Duramana Road in Eglinton sometime during July 1, 2023 when he got out of his car and called the victim, court documents said.
After Grace said the woman could find the car on the side of the road, the victim and a witness went to the area and saw the windows of the vehicle had been smashed.
Police were called by the victim, as well as others nearby who saw Grace running in the middle of the road.
The court heard police arrived a short time later and saw the vehicle, and thought Grace had lost control.
As they inspected the area, police saw a number of alcohol bottles around the vehicle.
![Bathurst Courthouse, where Hayden Grace was sentenced on July 5, 2023. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst Courthouse, where Hayden Grace was sentenced on July 5, 2023. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5QSV2wJYJi8ZgVyWibkV7A/9bef1589-94d9-4ac9-b194-5bc54ddf296c.jpg/r0_326_7728_4688_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Grace was found by police four kilometres away from the scene in an "extremely heightened and aggressive" state.
He was taken to Bathurst Base Hospital where, due to his "erratic" behaviour, he was sedated.
Police said about 2am the following morning they went to a home on The Bridle Track and placed a form of demand on the owner of the vehicle, who said he did not give Grace permission to take his car.
Sentence
Grace, who was represented by Legal Aid solicitor Simone Thackray, was told by Magistrate Brian van Zuylen that the situation would have "no doubt caused a great deal of stress to your family".
It was also an incident that resulted in a "harsh lesson" according to Mr van Zuylen, who noted Grace had put his fist through the windows, causing them to shatter.
The matter was dismissed without penalty.
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