Cousin jailed for stabbing

A district court judge has condemned the violent attack of an Albany man who drunkenly stabbed his two cousins, one in the head and the other in the neck, with a pair of scissors in a potentially fatal act after a dispute in a Yakamia home this year.

Ernest Alfred Coyne, 27, was this week jailed for five years for the attack on his cousins Rivah and Jshett Coyne earlier this year, described by sentencing Judge Linda Petrusa as remorseless and unprovoked.

The Albany District Court on Monday was told the three men drank a carton of bourbon and cola stubbies and another 10-pack over about six hours when an argument escalated between the accused and Rivah Coyne.

State prosecutor Glenn Lloyd said while the circumstances behind the argument and altercation were unclear, the offender grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed his cousin in the shoulder.

Attempting to intervene in the fight, Jshett was then stabbed in the head, which penetrated his skull and brain before Rivah was stabbed again in the neck. Jshett Coyne was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition.

Coyne handed himself into police the next day and was charged with aggravated unlawful wounding and grievous bodily harm.

Mr Lloyd said the serious attack was one of the worst acts he had seen, which could have had far worse consequences, and believed immediate jail was the only sentencing option.

He referred to victim impact statements from the two brothers, which outlined the ongoing health issues for both men after the attack, which included permanent disfigurement for Jshett, who is unable to open his left eye properly.

Defence lawyer Tony Chilvers said his client had arrived at the home in the morning in an agitated state after allegedly being punched earlier by another cousin and their play fighting after drinking had turned aggressive.

Mr Chilvers said Coyne “lost control in the moment” but had entered an early guilty plea and handed himself in to police.

Sentencing Coyne to five years jail, Judge Petrusa there was no justification for introducing a weapon.

“He (Jshett) could have died,” she said. “Rivah thought he was going to be killed that day.

“To attack Jshett, who was trying to break up the fight, makes your conduct even worse. This was a very serious course of conduct as it was you who introduced a weapon and you used it repeatedly and didn’t stop when you hurt them.”

The judge made Coyne eligible for parole and also ordered a lifetime restraining order in favour of Jshett Coyne.