James Lachlan Smith sentenced over Varsity Lakes stabbing that left his victim seriously injured

The man responsible for a stabbing attack that left his victim in a Gold Coast Hospital with serious injuries has learnt his punishment. Find out what happened in court.

James Lachlan Smith sentenced over Varsity Lakes stabbing.

The man responsible for a violent Varsity Lakes stabbing that left his victim in hospital and requiring surgery has been granted immediate parole.

James Lachlan Smith pleaded guilty in Southport District Court on Wednesday to one count each of grievous bodily harm and threatening violence over the attack on March 19 last year.

The court heard the then 23-year-old was riding his bike near Willow Street around 2.30pm when his victim Riley Vamplew drove past in a car with his friends.

“Mr Vamplew yelled out the car window to a male riding a bicycle with no hands on the handle bars words to the affect of ‘yeah brother’ or ‘cool trick’,” Crown barrister Borsca Vass told the court.

As Vamplew and his friends were getting out of the car they were approached by Smith and two other males. Ms Vass told the court Smith asked the men: “Who wants to get stabbed?”.

“Mr Vamplew asked where’s your blade, the defendant said here, and lunged at the defendant,” she said.

A medical report tendered to the court revealed Vamplew sustained a 2cm wound to his abdomen that perforated his stomach.

He required surgery as a result. The court was told Smith has a violent history of offending which included domestic violence, robbery and sexual assault.

The crime scene at Willow Street, Varsity Lakes in March last year.

In sentencing Judge Deborah Holliday read aloud a psychological report submitted by Smith’s defence barrister James Grehan which detailed a dysfunctional childhood that had lead to his offending.

The report said Smith had turned to substance abuse at a young age and on the day of the stabbing in Varsity Lakes he had consumed a cocktail of drugs and alcohol in the days prior. Since offending, he had been diagnosed with a number of mental health disorders and had begun ongoing treatment.

Judge Holliday sentenced Smith to a three-year prison sentence and granted immediate parole. His 338 days in custody since his arrest were not counted as time already served. A conviction was record for both charges.