Long jail term for ‘frenzied’ stabbing

A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to more than 10 years jail for repeatedly stabbing a man in Dunsborough earlier this year.

Darryl Stephen Dunbar appeared in the Bunbury District Court last month after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning bodily harm.

The court was told that about 9pm on March 24 this year, Dunbar was at the Dunsborough Central Motel and was talking and drinking with three other people.

After a woman refused his advances, a 33-year-old man intervened. Soon after, Dunbar walked up behind the man and stabbed him seven times around the neck and throat before stabbing him twice in the back with a 15cm kitchen knife.

During the attack, the knife snapped in half but Dunbar continued stabbing with the handle, not knowing the blade had broken away.

After the attack, Dunbar walked over to the Shell service station on Dunn Bay Road and got into a vehicle before asking a passenger in the car for a lift to Busselton, telling the man he had just stabbed someone.

As he got out of the vehicle, the owner of the car approached.

Dunbar punched the 18-year-old man in the face before leaving the station and being arrested by police soon after. State Prosecutor Ian Marshall described the offending as a “ferocious and frenzied attack”.

District Court judge Alan Troy said it was “perplexing” Dunbar had not been charged with attempted murder.

“You were under the influence of illicit drugs at the time you offended and were likely to have been mentally unwell,” he said.

The court was told Dunbar told the manager of the motel after the attack, “I stabbed him and I hope he dies.”

Mr Marshall said the victim was “very lucky to survive” and said he would carry the legacy of the attack for the rest of his life.

Dunbar was sentenced to 10 years for the grievous bodily harm charge and six months for the assault charge and will not be eligible for parole.