Shane Champion sentenced for assault charges against innocent bystanders

A man in the grip of a drug psychosis threatened innocent bystanders trying to help two women, threatening to cut one “in the lungs”.

Two men avoided serious injuries after another man who was in the midst of “drug induced psychosis” threatened to cut them in a suburban street.

Shane Champion was sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrate Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a number of charges including assault.

Shane Champion pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with weapon and basic assault. Pic: Facebook.

The court heard on April 22 of this year, two Glandore residents were in their front yards when they observed activity around a vehicle with female occupants.

As they approached the vehicle, Champion appeared, acting “very erratically” and brandishing a knife.

“You pointed the knife towards one of those members of the public and threatened to cut him in the lungs,” Magistrate Kate White said during sentencing.

The court heard Champion also told one of the men he would “come down to his nice house and get him”.

“No doubt these victims felt very fearful, particularly in circumstances where you were behaving very erratically and did not appear to be in control of your behaviour,” Magistrate White said.

“This was random and unprovoked, you were holding a knife and making threats … they were just Samaritans offering assistance.”

When he was arrested by police, Champion admitted that his behaviour was “over the top” and that he was struggling with his housing at the time of the offending.

The court also heard of Champion’s past drug use, which include ice and cannabis, both of which he has stopped using since this offending as it allowed him to gain a “good insight” into his actions.

Magistrate White sentenced Champion to four weeks and two days imprisonment suspended, placing him on a 18-month good behaviour bond.