Shannon Hogan put the lives of two men in danger when he chose to use a knife to end what had started as a fist fight.
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The 27-year-old will spend the next nine months in jail, taking him away from the wife and four children he was trying to protect at their Wodonga home on the night.
He had pleaded guilty in Wodonga County Court to charges of recklessly causing serious injury and recklessly causing injury on November 28, 2015.
Judge Geoffrey Chettle sentenced Hogan on Tuesday to the nine months’ jail plus a community corrections order on his release, including 150 hours of unpaid work.
The brawl erupted after one of the victims threw a beer can from the front yard of his neighbouring Nicole Crescent home, which just missed Hogan.
The accused then stabbed one of the men in the arm, causing significant blood loss requiring surgery, and the second victim was also struck in the chest and face, and slashed in the ribs with the knife.
“Both men suffered dreadful and horrific injuries with long-term consequences,” Judge Chettle said.
In a victim impact statement, the first victim said he had lost 80 per cent use of his arm from the stabbing and had become too scared to walk outside.
“We are mentally and physically drained from the whole ordeal,” he said.
A report tendered to the court also outlined the stress which would be placed on Hogan’s partner, Haylee McKay, when she is forced to care for their four children alone where they moved in Melbourne without family support.
“In some respects, it was your fierce defending of the children (who witnessed the brawl) that led to your offending,” Judge Chettle said.
“Using a knife in the way you did, exposing your victims to significant injury, and even risk of death, both of your victims are lucky to be alive … the injuries you caused requires the court to make strong denunciation of your conduct.”
... Exposing your victims to significant injury, and even risk of death, both of your victims are lucky to be alive.
- Judge Geoffrey Chettle
McKay was also placed on an 18-month good behaviour bond for her part in the affray, where she hit another woman with a vacuum cleaner hose.