Toowoomba woman Janelle-Lexus Rizzalli pleads guilty to stabbing man in neck with pocket knife

‘Think I’m f-king around dog?’: A screaming match between a 42-year-old Toowoomba man and a 19-year-old woman came to an end after she pulled a knife from her bra and lodged it in the man’s neck.

Toowoomba woman Janelle-Lexus Rizzalli, 20, was sentenced on December 12, 2024, for stabbing a man in the neck and attempting to deal drugs. Picture: Social media

A young woman who endured an incredibly traumatic and deprived upbringing has been sentenced to a suspended jail term after pleading guilty to stabbing a man in the neck with a freshly sharpened pocket knife.

When the now 20-year-old woman, Janelle-Lexus Rizzalli, was sentenced before the Toowoomba District Court on Thursday, December 12, the court heard at the time of the January incident her moral culpability was lessoned due to her mental health struggles.

The court heard the Toowoomba woman, who spent more than seven months in custody on remand for the offence, suffered from a number of mental health conditions that affected her behaviour and mood.

Since being released on bail in July, Rizzalli has committed no further offences, complied with her conditions, and obtained full-time work.

Toowoomba woman Janelle-Lexus Rizzalli, 20, was sentenced on December 12, 2024, for stabbing a man in the neck and attempting to deal drugs. Picture: Social media

The victim of the stabbing was a 42-year-old man, Jamie Miller, who did not provide an impact statement to the court because no one was able to contact the man despite multiple efforts being made.
The court heard Mr Miller and a then homeless Rizzalli were acquaintances, however the nature of their relationship was not specified.

The stabbing

The stabbing occurred at Mr Miller’s home in Harristown about 12.30pm on January 10 which is the same day the then 19-year-old woman handed herself into police and made full admissions.

The court heard the pair were involved in a screaming match when Rizzalli demanded access to Mr Miller’s phone so she could call her mother.

After the phone was handed to Rizzalli and she spoke to her mother, the court heard she became more agitated and told Mr Miller to “f-ck off” multiple times and “I’ll stab your son in the throat if you don’t give me my mum (on the phone)”.

When the man lunged towards the young woman, knocking her on her back, forcing the phone from her hands, before fleeing to a different room and locking the door.

“You think I’m f-king around dog?” Rizzalli told Mr Miller, pulling the small knife from her bra.

Rizzalli began kicking at the screen door and when Mr Miller opened it telling her to “piss off,” she launched at him planting the knife at the base of the side of his neck.

Rizzalli pleaded guilty to the crime less than a year after it occured.

The 1cm diameter stab wound went through his trapezium muscle and nicked an artery that required surgery, however luckily the injury was not life threatening.

The court heard after Rizzalli handed herself in, she elected to give her phone to the police which contained videos of the incident as well as one she recorded earlier of her sharpening the knife.

While police were consensually searching through Rizzalli’s phone, they uncovered 10 drug deals she had attempted to make involving many drugs including meth, coke, and cannabis.

On December 12, on Thursday, Rizzalli pleaded guilty to one wounding charge, and 11 charges of attempting to supply dangerous drugs.

While being sentenced by Judge Nicole Kefford, Rizzalli broke down in tears when her lifelong plights and traumatic experiences at the hands of many others were read into the record.

Judge Kefford apologised to Rizzalli and later reminded her that despite her prejudicial upbringing she was now working and sober which showed strength in her character and promise for her future.

She said it was hardly surprising that she resorted to drugs and alcohol at the age of 13 and struggled with her mental health given her experiences.

Judge Kefford said taking into account Rizzalli’s co-operation, young age, the prospect of rehabilitation, and lessened moral culpability at the time of the offence, she deemed no further time in custody was required.

Rizzalli was sentenced to a two-year jail term, suspended for two years, and a two-year probation order with a special requirement to attend psychological therapy sessions.

The 189 days she spent in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served.

Judge Kefford told Rizzalli she genuinely wished her all the best and that she continued to turn her life around.

Rizzalli’s mother was in court in support of her daughter during the sentence.

Originally published as Toowoomba woman Janelle-Lexus Rizzalli pleads guilty to stabbing man in neck with pocket knife