Woy Woy stabbing: Butcher James Craig Stockwell sentenced for stabbing mate

An experienced butcher who stabbed his friend after a birthday night of heavy drinking on the Central Coast, leaving his internal organs visible to his wife, has been sentenced.

A butcher of 17 years experience armed himself with a small folding pocket knife before walking about 2km to his friend’s house and stabbing him five times after a fight, a court has heard.

James Craig Stockwell, of Bateau Bay, gave evidence at his sentencing in Gosford District Court on Thursday, where he said he would regularly “drink to the point where I would black out”.

The court heard Stockwell had been out celebrating his 35th birthday with his then wife and another couple at licenced venues at Erina and Woy Woy on January 25, 2020.

James Craig Stockwell arriving at Gosford District Court last year. Picture: Sue Graham

Stockwell and his good mate Jonnie Ippolito, then aged 33, were both intoxicated when they became involved in an argument at the Woy Woy Hotel when Mr Ippolito tried to take a glass of beer outside.

The court heard the pair were captured on CCTV shaping up to each other and arguing before Stockwell was seen to push his mate, who grabbed a fence paling before throwing it on the ground.

An agreed set of facts states the victim and his wife walked to their North Burge Rd home while Stockwell’s then wife drove him to their Woy Woy home.

When Stockwell’s wife went inside for a shower, he armed himself with a small folding pocket knife and walked back to Mr Ippolito’s house some 2km away, the facts state.

Jonnie Ippolito, 33, of Woy Woy, was stabbed by his mate James Stockwell during a boozey night out. Picture: supplied

Stockwell confronted his mate in the front yard of his house before a fight broke out and the experienced butcher stabbed Mr Ippolito five times to the abdomen just after midnight on January 26, 2020.

Mr Ippolito’s wife later told police she could see her husband’s “internal organs starting to come out” from a 15-20cm cut to his stomach.

He also suffered cuts to his arm and leg.

Police arrived and Stockwell attempted to flee but was tackled to the ground.

He was taken to hospital where he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.2.

Mr Ippolito was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital for emergency surgery. Picture: Digicrew Australia

Stockwell told the court he had no memory of the incident and realised he had a problem with binge drinking but never did anything about it until after he was arrested.

The court heard Stockwell spent nearly four months in custody before he was released on bail.

“I decided when I got out I would never drink again,” he said.

Stockwell said he felt “extremely terrible” about what he had done to his family friend who didn’t “deserve that”.

Stockwell had previously pleaded guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of common assault.

Police taped off the crime scene at Woy Woy where Stockwell stabbed his mate. Picture: Digicrew Australia

Judge David Wilson said he accepted Stockwell was remorseful, had good prospects of rehabilitation, was unlikely to reoffend and was otherwise “of good character”.

However he said the violent and “abhorrent” offending warranted a full-time custodial sentence to recognise the harm done to the victim and to serve as a deterrence to others in the community.

Judge Wilson sentenced Stockwell to three years and six months jail with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.

With time already served he will be eligible for release on August 12, 2023.