A young Tasmanian man who befriended a stranger on a Saturday night out in Launceston before robbing and stabbing him has been sentenced to home detention.
20-year-old Austin Cornish will spend the next 10 months at home for committing aggravated armed robbery and wounding in June 2022.
Cornish had pled guilty to the charges at a previous Supreme Court appearance in December 2022, however his sentencing was deferred until Tuesday.
Judge Robert Pearce said the incident started after the 24-year-old victim, Lewis Laycock, passed Cornish and another man he was with in the city’s CBD.
“Although you did not know each other, you struck up a conversation and decided to walk together to a night club,” Pearce said.
“After drinking and socialising you left together some time later.”
As the pair walked through the street, Cornish unexpectedly pulled out a flick knife, about 8-10 centimetres long, and held it to Laycock’s throat.
He demanded Laycock’s wallet and phone and despite surrendering both, Laycock was stabbed in the neck and left side of his abdomen.
Laycock sought help from nearby individuals and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
As the stab wound in his abdomen was small and required no treatment, he was discharged shortly after.
During the deferral period, Justice Robert Pearce granted Cornish bail under strict conditions due to his “fragile mental health and high risk of self-harm”.
Cornish has since undergone counselling, engaged with the alcohol and drug service, stopped using illicit substances, re-established his relationship with his mother and gained steady employment.
As a result, Justice Pearce decided to place Cornish on home detention with electronic monitoring.
“Your progress has been described in a series of reports I have been given by Community Corrections and is promising,” Pearce said while sentencing on Tuesday.
“You are now assessed as suitable for home detention and, notwithstanding the seriousness of your crimes, I have concluded that home detention is the appropriate sentence.”
Cornish must follow strict rules during the home detention period, including staying away from drugs and alcohol, attending required programs and maintaining constant contact through his mobile phone – or risk being sent to prison.
