Mum who repeatedly stabbed son learns her fate

Eastern suburbs mum Samantha Palmer, who repeatedly stabbed her son in their mansion last year, has learnt her fate in court today.

A mum from Sydney’s eastern suburbs who was stressed about her son’s ice addiction when she repeatedly stabbed him in the back has avoided jail time.

Instead Samantha Palmer, 56, was handed a 17-month intensive correction order on Thursday after pleading guilty to recklessly wounding Hugo Ball, 23, at their Bellevue Hill mansion last year.

Samatha Palmer leaves Downing Centre Local Court after her sentencing.

Palmer’s son Hugo Ball was stabbed repeatedly. Pictures: NCA NewsWire

Defence barrister Grant Brady SC revealed to Downing Centre Local Court that Palmer’s mental state had been deteriorating for years due to Mr Ball’s drug problems.

“There has obviously been a significant amount of chronic trauma unmanaged for years stemming from the unfortunate drug addiction of the victim,” Mr Brady said.

“That chronic trauma that (Palmer) suffered from included, of course, general things one would think (stem from) a drug-addicted child — the worry, the efforts to try to desist, constant disappointment.

“No matter what she did, it didn’t seem to work.

“It’s been punctuated by far more serious matters, including threats, including intimidation, including psychotic episodes, and unfortunately including assault.”

Samantha Palmer at the scene. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Police said Palmer had been drinking when she stabbed Ball multiple times in his back and shoulders with a 12-inch blade when he arrived home late at night.

The student was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital for emergency surgery in a serious condition and he lost two litres of blood at the scene, a court heard.

Mr Brady argued Palmer was in a disassociated state on that night.

“As at the night this occurred the evidence is, overwhelmingly in my submission, that she suffered from serious mental health issues and was in a very fragile mental state,” he said.

“This was a woman who was attempting everything she could for her son.”

But Crown prosecutor James Meegan said the nature of Ball’s multiple stab wounds to his back and the use of a knife suggested Palmer was motivated by something “akin to anger”.

Mr Meegan also noted that Palmer had said Mr Ball had threatened her on the night, but that she had also given another account where she said she couldn’t remember what happened.

Magistrate Erin Kennedy agreed there was an element of anger in the attack, but she also noted the stabbing occurred within a family in crisis who were trying to cope with the impacts of ice addiction.

Ms Kennedy took into account Palmer had already spent one month in jail on remand, and noted her willingness to engage in mental health treatment in her decision against sending Palmer back into custody.

Palmer must also complete 250 hours of community work, and she is not to approach Mr Ball or contact him in any way unless through a lawyer.

“You stabbed your son and that is something you do have to live with,” Ms Kennedy said.

“Parenting is incredibly difficult … the moment a knife is picked up, that is the end of the story.”