Mark John Walters jailed after near-fatal stabbing of school friend over $50 drug debt

An SA man has been jailed after he was found guilty by a jury for stabbing a high school friend over a $50 drug debt, leaving him with horrendous injuries. WARNING: Graphic

Mark John Walters was arrested at the scene where he was found covered in his victim’s blood. Picture: Limestone Coast Community News

*WARNING: Graphic

A man who stabbed his high school friend over a $50 drug debt, leaving him with his intestines hanging out and blood spurting from his neck, has been jailed for nearly a decade.

Mark John Walters appeared in the District Court earlier this month where he was sentenced over the violent attack on January 2, 2021.

Walters, 49, stood trial in the Mount Gambier District Court last year, after pleading not guilty to aggravated causing serious harm with intent to cause serious harm.

At the time, prosecutor Robert Kane told the court the victim had been invited to fight because he owed the accused $50 for methamphetamine.

In sentencing, Judge Geraldine Davison said without medical attention it is likely the victim would not have survived.

“(The victim) suffered serious injuries including a laceration to his neck and abdomen,” she said.

“A portion of his bowel was protruding from his abdomen and he required immediate surgery.

“This was contaminated by gravel and dirt. The surgeons had to remove a portion of his bowel because it had been cut before placing the balance back into his abdomen.”

Mark John Walters being questioned by detectives at the crime scene. Limestone Coast Community News.

Judge Davison said the attack happened after a series of abusive text messages were exchanged in which the victim told Walters: “You’re a fried f***ing unit, next time I see you c*** I’m going to kick the f*** out of you”.

After a few more exchanges, Walters responded: “Come on you f***ing coward, come and say s**t to my face”.

Judge Davison said the victim arrived at Walters’ house on January 2, 2021, where the altercation occurred.

“You immediately got up and started yelling abuse at him ... after which the altercation occurred in which the injuries were sustained,” she said.

“You came to the door, you put your foot through the door, you immediately started swinging punches and struck (the victim) perhaps as many as 15 times and during the course of that you stabbed him.

Mark John Walters leaving the Mount Gambier District Court.

“The introduction of a knife, even a paring knife, in the circumstances such as this, was always likely to result in injuries, especially where that weapon was used with a degree of force.

“Without medical attention, it is very unlikely that (the victim) would have survived.”

Judge Davison rejected Walters’ self-defence argument.

“I am sentencing you on the basis that you goaded (the victim) into attending at your home and you were waiting for him.”

Judge Davison said she took Walters’ personal circumstances into account and that he called triple-0 and was “clearly distressed when the services arrived”.

Walters was sentenced to nine years and six months imprisonment with a non-parole period of five years and five months.

The sentence was backdated to July 17, 2023.