Blake Walter James Stephan, 20, of Regents Park sentenced for armed threats at shopping centre
A vengeful turf layer who grabbed a kitchen knife and chased down his victim during shocking southeast Queensland shopping centre melee has faced charges.
Logan
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Shoppers got more than they bargained for at a major southeast Queensland shopping centre, when a vengeful teen grabbed a large kitchen knife to pursue a male for his head, a court has heard.
Blake Walter James Stephan, 20, has months of prison time hanging over his head after he was sentenced at Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday.
The Regents Park turf layer pleaded guilty to going armed so as to cause fear, among other charges.
The court heard witnesses at Logan Hyperdome Shopping Centre were left shocked on November 13 about 3pm, when a foul-mouthed knife-toting Stephan chased a male and threatened to cut off his head.
It followed an earlier incident on the same day when a then 19-year-old Stephan had been chased by his victim with a knife at the centre’s carpark.
Stephan had subsequently sourced his own weapon – a large kitchen knife – and gone looking for revenge, according to magistrate Tracy Mossop.
Multiple shoppers witnessed the shocking event, the court was told.
Stephan had since been sentenced to a nine-month suspended jail sentence over two years at a district court on other matters.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Cochrane said had the defendant been sentenced for his offence with those matters, he would not have received a greater sentence.
Defence solicitor Finlay Weston said his client had a difficult upbringing and became addicted to meth at a young age.
However, he had recently secured “gainful employment” for the first time as a turf layer, the court heard.
Ms Mossop noted Stephan’s was a “quite serious” example of going armed to cause fear.
“You said you were going to cut his head off and you were armed with a knife,” Ms Mossop said.
“There were a number of witnesses present. You just can’t conduct yourself like that.”
Stephan was sentenced to four months’ prison wholly suspended for 18 months.
A conviction was recorded.
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