A Hobart man who put an Uber driver in a headlock and tried to steal his car during a drunken phone call has been sentenced to 15 months in jail, suspended for two years.
Brodie Norman Barwick, 33, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court this week to attempted carjacking and several other charges over the incident, which took place on August 17 last year.
The court heard Barwick had drunk a bottle of spirits and half a carton of beer before ordering an Uber from Clarendon Vale to Dodges Ferry around 10:48pm.
During the trip, the driver overheard Barwick on a heated phone call with a woman, repeatedly demanding to know the whereabouts of someone named Lucy.
As they neared the intersection of Pass Road and Cambridge Road at Mornington, Barwick told the caller: “I am going to take this driver hostage until you tell me where you are.”
He then took off his seatbelt, moved to the driver’s side and put his arm around the driver’s neck in a headlock. He grabbed the steering wheel and announced he was taking the vehicle.
The terrified driver immediately stopped the vehicle and fled on foot, screaming for help before reaching a nearby property to call emergency services.
Barwick climbed into the driver’s seat and appeared to tamper with the dashboard, then chased after the driver before returning to the car.
Police later found the vehicle had sustained around $200 worth of damage, including a smashed weather shield and a broken rear-view mirror.
Barwick was arrested and slapped with an extra charge for using abusive language after shouting homophobic slurs at police.
Chief Justice Chris Shanahan described alcohol as Barwick’s “nemesis”, saying it had seriously impacted his education, work and relationships.
A pre-sentence report showed a history of alcohol-fuelled violence, including 10 incidents of family violence between 2016 and 2020.
“The twin themes of alcohol and violence are woven through the history,” the judge said. “Those themes are present throughout Mr Barwick’s adult life.”
Shanahan acknowledged that Barwick had completed rehabilitation programs while in custody, stopped drinking and expressed “some remorse”.
As part of the suspended sentence, Barwick must follow strict conditions including supervision by a probation officer, regular drug and alcohol testing and ongoing participation in programs tackling addiction and aggression.
Having already spent 297 days in custody, Barwick was released immediately, but warned he will go back to jail if he breaches any conditions over the next two years.
