Man who attacked elderly parents in their bed jailed

The Dunedin District Court. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A Dunedin man who attacked his octogenarian parents in their bed, giving his stepfather a brain bleed and a heart attack, has been jailed for more than three years.

Lindsay William Wallace, 45, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after admitting charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure, threatening behaviour and assault in a family relationship.

The victim’s statement, read by prosecutor Sergeant Sam Baker, detailed the extent of his injuries: a brain bleed, heart attack, haematoma, swelling, bruising, blurred vision.

“I’m totally disappointed in him,” the man said.

In the early hours of May 27, an intoxicated Wallace entered his mother and stepfather’s bedroom, the court heard.

He pushed through the doors yelling at the top of his lungs, “I’m going to beat your head in.”

Wallace’s aggressive entrance prompted a confrontation with his stepfather.

The man made an attempt to remove the defendant from the room but was met with a drunken swing and a miss.

Wallace pushed the 80-year-old into the corner of the room, forcing his heel against his chest.

The victim got back up, sat on the edge of his bed but was promptly knocked backwards as Wallace repeatedly punched him on both sides of his head, nose and mouth, ripping his pyjamas in the process.

The beating only ceased when Wallace left the room to retrieve a wine bottle.

His mother intervened and seized the item but the defendant’s search for a weapon continued.

He went to the kitchen and grabbed a carving knife.

Wallace stood in the bedroom doorway, brandishing the blade, and told his stepfather: “in for a penny, in for a pound”.

Finally, he went to his mother who by then was in the lounge, put her in a headlock and threw her on to the couch.

Wallace later explained he “went overboard” because he was frustrated at his stepfather’s management of finances.

The court heard the defendant had previous convictions for violence and had twice been imprisoned but had not offended since 2016.

Counsel Kelly Beazley admitted Wallace had alcohol issues.

The defendant attended a detox programme in 2021, but left the residence early and “unsurprisingly” relapsed just months later, Judge Michael Turner said.

He said the violence meted out by Wallace was approaching extreme and was made worse by the breach of trust.

“No one expects their child to assault them in the way you did,” the judge said.

Wallace was sentenced to three years and four months’ imprisonment.

The victims opted not to request a protection order.

As Wallace was led from the dock, he waved at the couple and called out, “later”.