Jail suspended for Pilbara leg breaker

A local man who fractured both of a woman’s legs with a stick while she lay on the ground of a South Hedland home has been handed an eight-month suspended jail term. Rodney Phillip Badal appeared via video link from Bidyadanga to South Hedland Magistrates Court last week and pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman and subsequently breaching bail conditions to protect her. At about 2am on January 17 the accused approached the victim who was sitting on a couch and struck her on the side of the leg. He then proceeded to push her off the couch and hit her repeatedly while she lay on the floor. The victim was later driven in an ambulance to South Hedland Health Campus after sustaining fractures to both legs. She was transported to Royal Perth Hospital at a later stage for further treatment. Badal was subsequently subject to protective bail condition by the court but breached his order on May 5 when he entered the home of the victim. The accused attempted to flee from police called to the property before he was arrested. His defence lawyer said though it was a “very serious offence” Badal was “deeply remorseful for his actions” and took full responsibly for the incident. She said Badal would benefit from counselling but there was no specific program for domestic violence in Hedland. Magistrate Gavin MacClean said due to the absence of violence on the man’s record he would impose an eight-month suspended prison term with conditions recommended by police prosecutor Dave Glossop. He was also fined $50 for breaching bail.