By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
AN ICE user with a “history of violence” has said that grief over his former partner’s suspicious death was the reason why he smashed a bus driver’s side window with a baseball bat in Hallam last year.
Troy Boothey, 25, appearing in a video link from his current Port Phillip Prison address, was sentenced to an extra two months in jail at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
He was also ordered to compensate the bus company $1000 for the damage.
The court was told that Boothey, who was driving a silver Holden sedan, cut off a Cranbourne Transit bus at a roundabout at Hinrichsen and Keppel drives on 28 November.
He then got out of his car and shattered the bus’s driver-side window with the bat.
The driver’s face and hand were cut by the broken glass, the court was told.
Boothey was arrested over the incident in March after being identified by the driver from a photograph.
He gave police a “no comment” interview.
The court was told that Boothey had been in custody since 20 April and had received a 14-month jail term in July for drug, deception and assault offences including breaking his father’s arm.
Last month he received an 18-month cumulative term – reduced to 16 months after a County Court appeal – over pursuing and sideswiping a car in December.
Defence lawyer Jacqueline Kennedy told the court that Boothey’s offending and ice use had spiralled out of control after the death of his former partner Maddison Murphy-West at her home in Pakenham in October last year and the subsequent removal of their one-year-old son from his care.
Boothey then went on a “bit of a rampage”, Ms Kennedy said.
Magistrate Mr Vandersteen noted some of the offending – such as robbery and recklessly causing injury – predated Ms Murphy-West’s death, and that there was a nexus between his drug use and offending.
He said a forensic psychologist’s report was “guarded” on Boothey’s rehabilitation prospects.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Boothey was sentenced to four months’ jail – with two months served on top of his previous jail term.
His non-parole period was also pushed out from July to September 2015.
“The issue for you is following the death of your partner in October 2013 you went on a bender… using drugs to medicate yourself,” Mr Vandersteen said.
The magistrate noted that while Boothey had no recollection of the incident, the bus driver was unlikely to forget it.
“The offending described to me is serious on a number of levels.
“People are entitled – hopefully as you can appreciate now you are drug free – to go about their business.”
He said Boothey had significant prior convictions that reflected his “willingness to use violence in certain circumstances”.
“Your history is one of violence.
“You have the opportunity when released to remain drug-free. Time will tell if you’re capable.”
Ms Murphy-West’s death has been investigated by homicide detectives.
No one has been charged.
