JASON Robbins can't smell since being savagely bashed by three men outside his home on Easter Sunday.
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The 40-year-old can still taste, but only the blood from the internal bleeding in his face.
He can also still hear, and it was his ears that led the tradesman to walk outside his house about 2am on Sunday.
He heard glass breaking in the street, and went outside to find two men trying to break into his Holden Rodeo. Unfortunately, he didn't see the third man.
"The bloke was hiding behind the front wheel well, and he's come up at me," Mr Robbins said.
The tradesman was struck on the head and body repeatedly until he hit the ground. When he raised his head to confront the next round of blows, he was greeted with silence.
"It happened so fast I didn't even get a proper chance to see what was going on.
"When I looked up they were already a third of the block away, running pretty fast."
The attack left him in Port Macquarie Base Hospital until yesterday afternoon with a nasal fracture, bruising and internal bleeding.
The seemingly pointless damage to the ute - which included smashing the driver's side window and scratching the panelling - has perplexed its owner.
"They tried to rip the number plate off, and they've wrecked the fuses," Mr Robbins said.
"Why bother? The only thing in the car was a couple of dollars."
The savagery of the attack has alarmed the victim, but it has been even harder for his partner.
"She's the one I'm the most worried about," he said.
"She's feeling pretty terrible at the moment."
The assault was a black mark on a long weekend of otherwise exemplary public behaviour in Port Macquarie.
Inspector Kim Fehon said it was a "nasty assault involving significant injuries", which was cause for concern throughout the entire Local Area Command.
She asked the public to come forward with any information on the assailants, who were described as being tall, skinny and wearing black hooded jumpers.
While Mr Robbins' car was not stolen, Inspector Fehon urged anyone who hears suspicious noises outside their house to call 000.