Matthew Aaron Care-Wickham, 30, faced Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Friday via video link for sentencing over the incident, which Magistrate Fran Medina described as ‘‘violent offending’’.
‘‘The focus of my sentencing is punishing your behaviour and protecting the community from your offending,’’ she said.
The incident, which occurred on November 8 out the front of the Cricketers Arms Hotel, left Care-Wickham’s victim bleeding heavily from the wounds and requiring emergency surgery.
The court previously heard that about 2.30 pm on the day of the incident Care-Wickham was walking along McLennan St, Mooroopna, while the victim was driving around town with a passenger looking for the accused, who was in possession of house keys they wanted to collect.
The victim located Care-Wickham out the front of the Cricketers Arms Hotel, where he approached the accused and demanded the keys be returned.
The court was told the accused and victim were then involved in a physical and verbal altercation before Care-Wickham reached into his backpack and retrieved a large filleting knife.
The court heard the accused stabbed the victim six times — twice in the chest, twice in the torso, once in the left arm and once in the back — before the victim fled on foot.
Care-Wickham was later arrested and interviewed at Shepparton Police Station where he told police he stabbed the victim because the victim had ‘‘pulled a knife on him the previous week’’ and he was ‘‘scared’’.
Care-Wickham pleaded guilty to a number of charges including those that arose from the incident, along with charges from 2019 including unlicensed driving.
When sentencing, Ms Medina said she took into account the disadvantage Care-Wickham experienced as a child, acknowledging that this would have ‘‘no doubt impacted’’ his behaviour as an adult.
‘‘I have taken into account your plea of guilty and the context of your personal history; as acknowledged, it is of really quite significant and appalling disadvantage,’’ she said.
‘‘(In the past) you have been provided sentences of significant opportunity to engage with therapeutic supports to assist you to take a different path in life than that you have chosen to date.’’
Care-Wickham will be eligible for parole in 12 months, with 211 days already served in custody.
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