Australia, April 13 -- New South Wales Land and Environment Court issued text of the following judgement on March 13:
1. THE COURT: In mid-April 2020, in the early days of the Covid lockdowns and social distancing rules, members of the Warners Bay community, south of Newcastle, were accustomed to use a walking and cycling (shared) path running from Warners Bay to Eleebana. On 18 April and 24 April 2020 the respondent, Anthony Buxton, and his partner (Lynne Williams) encountered the applicant whilst riding their bicycles along the path. The applicant was walking and, on the first occasion holding a twig with leaves, and on the second a somewhat larger stick. On the first occasion the respondent was, on his evidence, hit on the leg by the st...