Man pleads guilty after axe throw leaves footballer unable to play
A 22-year-old man admitted throwing an axe that partially amputated one toe and wounded another on a woman's foot.
Ewart Te Aukura Hape pleaded guilty to assault in the Supreme Court in Burnie after an incident in March 2024. The couple were living together in South Nietta when they began arguing.
Hape left the house, the woman threw some of his belongings including an axe onto the road, and he picked it up and flung it back over the fence. The axe landed on the woman's foot, leaving a jagged wound to one toe and partially amputating another.
Hape told police he did not throw it in anger and agreed he was an "idiot" to toss it without knowing where she was. The woman, who was pregnant and caring for a two-year-old daughter at the time, said she relives the day every time she looks at her toes and has given up football, a sport she loved.
- 22 years old
- Defendant's age
- March 2024
- Incident date
- South Nietta
- Location
Why it mattersA woman's life and sport were ended by a careless act, and the court's response shows how split-second decisions carry lasting consequences.
AustraliaThis case was heard in Tasmania's Supreme Court and reflects the state's real rates of domestic violence and serious injury.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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