Lindsay Bassani held knife against ex-wife’s neck in domestic violence attack, Supreme Court hears
A man who attacked his wife with a knife, slashing her in the neck, told a court his action was an “uncharacteristic loss of control”.
Police & Courts
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A man who slashed his former wife in the neck has told a court the incident was a “gross over-reaction” and “uncharacteristic loss of control” in the midst of a heated argument about infidelity, a court has heard.
Lindsay Raymond Bassani, 43, kicked and held a knife against the neck of Amy Prokopec during the incident at the family home in Clare on April 8, 2021, while their two young children were in the bath.
He then turned the knife on himself before police arrived.
The court heard Bassani had cheated on his wife, and became frustrated his infidelity had been “used against him” repeatedly and wanted a similar admission from her to “level the playing field”.
Azaara Perakath, prosecuting, told the Supreme Court the “serious offending” on Ms Prokopec was not isolated.
“It involved the defendant raising a knife to the complainant against a backdrop of previous violence, a volatile relationship and emotional abuse.”
She said Ms Prokopec sustained a deep wound requiring stitches and injuries to her neck which resulted in a haematoma developing, requiring hospitalisation for a number of days.
The court has previously heard Ms Prokopec retreated to the bathroom for safety and called emergency services.
Minutes after the incident, Bassani sent a message to Ms Prokopec saying he “didn’t mean it”.
“I truly believed it was the other side of the knife,” he wrote.
“I wanted to scare you for attacking me. I should never have done that.”
Ms Perakath said the only appropriate penalty for the offending was an immediate term of imprisonment.
Michael Woods, for Bassani, instead asked the court to consider imposing a partially suspended sentence, or a merciful head sentence.
He said the attack on Ms Prokopec was not planned or premeditated, having developed as they argued about infidelity in the relationship.
He said Bassani had cheated on his wife and that was “thrown and used against him regularly” and he sought to a similar admission from his wife.
“This was an uncharacteristic loss of control where a knife was on the table right next to them at the time when they were in a heated argument and it’s picked up.
“It was on the spur of the moment and obviously a gross over-reaction.”
He said his client “had a different memory of events” and accepted he had “led her down the hallway”, but denied allegations he dragged her by the hair.
He said despite their different recollections, Bassani “takes responsibility for what he did on that night”.
The court heard Bassani had previously formally apologised to Ms Prokopec.
Bassani, who was originally charged with attempted murder, pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of recklessly causing serious harm.
The former heard of the SA Aboriginal Sports Training Academy previously served a 14-month home detention sentence for using Education Department funds unlawfully to buy goods including a refrigerator, TV and solar panels worth $9347.
Outside court, Ms Prokopec declined to comment, but a supporter said “we just want domestic violence stopped”.
Bassani will be sentenced at a date yet to be set. He faces a maximum penalty of 19 years in prison.