Ashlee Byrne describes horror of being brutally stabbed at the hands of fiance Andrew Shearing, court told

A woman stabbed at the hands of her fiance has told a court how she “remembers everything” about the horrifying ordeal.

A woman who was brutally stabbed multiple times by her fiance has vividly recalled being “stuck between a knife and a locked door feeling almost certain I was going to die”, in a powerful victim impact statement read to the Supreme Court.

Trained chef Andrew Shearing, 33, of Mitchell Park had been preparing meals at home on Anzac Day 2020 when he went into the bedroom where Ashlee Byrne sat watching television.

Without warning he lunged at her, repeatedly stabbing her with a kitchen knife.

Ms Byrne suffered multiple injuries including a punctured lung, ruptured tricep, perforated bowel and severed tendons. Her spleen and part of her bowel was removed during emergency surgery which left a significant scar.

In her victim impact statement, which was read to the Supreme Court, Ms Byrne described how she “remembers everything” about the day and would “never forget” discovering the surgical wound which ran the entire length of her torso.

“Learning that you will have a scar of that size for the rest of your life is upsetting. But when you realise that every time you look at it, it will instantly remind you of the person who caused it – the so-called love of your life. That is soul crushing.

“I still can’t look at my stomach without feeling that knife being pushed into my body or seeing Andrew’s face when he did it.”

Ashlee Byrne with her former fiance Andrew Shearing.

Andrew Shearing stabbed his fiance in their bedroom at Mitchell Park on April 25, 2020 while in the midst of a drug-induced psychosis. Picture: Facebook.

She said preparing her statement was a struggle but “none of this could ever come close to describing the feeling of knowing the man you love wanted to kill you”.

“Andrew, I will always feel like a part of me died that day and for that I can never forgive you. You were supposed to be my forever, my happily ever after … You have left a hole in my heart that honestly won’t ever heal.

“I still can’t understand why I deserved this.”

Ms Bryne’s parents and sister each read victim impact statements to the court, describing their disbelief, horror and struggle to comprehend why Shearing had attacked Ms Byrne.

Patrick Hill, prosecuting, told the court Shearing’s attack was “inexplicable”.

Andrew Shearing stabbed his fiance in their bedroom at Mitchell Park on April 25, 2020 while in the midst of a drug induce-induced psychosis. Picture: Facebook.

“With no known reason he lunged at her with the kitchen knife, stabbing her through and through the left upper arm and stabbing her numerous times to the torso,” he said.

He said Shearing repeatedly stabbed at Ms Byrne as she tried to escape. She was saved by Shearing’s parents who heard her screams for help.

The court heard Shearing was diagnosed as suffering a drug-induced psychosis at the time of the attack due to his long-term drug use. He had taken methamphetamine the day before, but not on the day of the attack and was “not acutely affected by methamphetamine at the time”.

Jane Abbey SC, for Shearing, said her client was “truly sorry” for the out of character and “undeserved damage” he caused.

She said despite a history of mental health concerns and ongoing drug use no-one had foreseen his “quite irrational, inexplicable behaviour”.

“It’s a bit of a mystery other than to say he was using drugs.”

Shearing, who pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated causing harm with intent, will be sentenced next month.