Ex-boxer Joel ‘2Gunz’ Casey admits to chasing pregnant woman with crowbar and viciously attacking her friend

A former semi-professional boxer has admitted to chasing a heavily pregnant woman with a crowbar and severely bashing her friend after breaking into her home in the South West. Joel Peter Casey, who was known as ‘2Gunz’ throughout his decade-long boxing career, accepted a plea bargain for downgraded charges instead of going on trial in Busselton District Court on Monday. The court heard the man broke into the woman’s Dalyellup home with a 30cm crowbar at 4.30am on December 6, 2020, after exhibiting “stalker-like” behaviour towards her. The woman, who was eight months pregnant at the time, ran into the garage and dropped to the ground in a foetal position in an attempt to protect her unborn baby. Casey picked up the victim’s phone while she tried to call police and snapped it in half before running back through the house, where he struck the second victim three times with the crowbar, causing him to be taken to Bunbury Regional Hospital and eventually transferred to Perth for emergency surgery. The court heard the man suffered a fractured jaw, nose and eye socket during the vicious attack. Police later arrested Casey after finding him in a “drug affected” state and drinking bourbon after issuing a search warrant of his Dalyellup home. The former athlete has been in custody since being arrested on the same day. In accepting the downgraded charges, Casey pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage, one count of aggravated home burglary and commit and a final amended count of assault occasioning bodily harm. Defence lawyer Tony Hager submitted to the court Casey has had “long-standing issues” with substances as well as a previous record in Queensland where he is originally from. The prior convictions include an occasion in 2014 where he tried to obtain $5000 from his GP by claiming the doctor’s name was on a hit list, but he would be able to “make it go away” if the GP paid up. He also forged a handwritten note with four names on it, including the doctor and his wife, to make his claim more believable, but the scam failed. The former fighter has a 16-16-4 win-loss record after competing for 11 years, including 10 knockout victories, but hung up his gloves in 2018. The matter was adjourned to obtain neuropsychological and pre-sentencing reports with Casey to reappear in November. He was remanded in custody until then.