Doonside: Hayden Dobson released from prison, to serve sentence in community instead

A western Sydney man who stabbed a father-of-two twice with a broken beer bottle in a bloodied attack will no longer serve time in prison after a second bid to be released into the community. Here’s the latest.

Hayden Dobson.

A Cranebrook man who was jailed for stabbing his brother-in-law in the neck and head with a glass shard from a broken beer bottle has been released from prison.

Hayden Dobson, 24, was sentenced to 18 months in prison with a non parole period of 12 months after the violent altercation on April 15, 2023, which left his brother-in-law needing stitches, including for a six to 7cm wound in his neck.

Blacktown Local Court was told at the time Dobson and his brother-in-law had a strained relationship.

The incident was triggered by Dobson’s brother-in-law kneeing him and then pushing him to the ground after he stood in front of him.

Dobson then picked up a shard of a broken beer bottle and “jabbed” it into the left side of his brother-in-law’s forehead and neck.

Hayden Dobson.

Court documents stated Dobson, who pleaded guilty to one charge of reckless wounding (domestic violence offence), did so on the basis of excessive self defence.

The court was told Dobson was intoxicated at the time, and had not had alcohol since the incident.

He claimed he may have acted differently if not under the influence.

He was described in court as “not an angry person” with strong ties to the community, and that he was “triggered” by the victim’s relationship with his sister, due to a 10-year age gap.

Dobson returned to the Blacktown Local Court shortly after his sentence for a bail review, where he indicated he would appeal his sentence, in an attempt to serve his prison sentence in the community, but this was rejected by Magistrate Brian Van Zulyen at the time.

Dobson then faced the Parramatta District Court for a second bail review on Monday, July 29, which was successful.

Parramatta District Court. Generic Parramatta photos.

The bail review means Dobson will no longer serve his sentence in prison, and instead was ordered by Judge Stephen Hanley to serve the remainder of his sentence as an Intensive Corrections Order in the community.

The order will last for 15 months and 23 days, and prohibits him from drinking, associating with anyone linked to his sister or his brother-in-law and from going within 500 metres from their workplaces or home.

Dobson’s sentence expires on November 20, 2025.

A sentence appeal, which was lodged shortly after Dobson was sentenced in Blacktown on July 15, was also dismissed.