By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A man was critically stabbed during a violent affray between youths in a Springvale South home, a court heard.
One of the attackers was Jeremy Nguyen, then 19, who heard that a male had joked about him at a gathering of six at the Parker Street home on the evening of 15 November 2019.
Nguyen, from Springvale South, wasn’t there at the time but received a message about the cpmments and took offence.
Despite efforts by his brother to placate him, Nguyen arrived at the house with three other males and a large machete down his pants at 2am that night.
In the lounge room, Nguyen sparked a fight when he punched a 21-year-old man in the face and split his lip.
During the brawl, co-accused David Le used a knife to stab another man in the upper-body, according to a police summary.
The victim required surgery for the life-threatening wound. Two litres of blood was transfused and 12 stitches applied.
In a full confession to police, Nguyen stated that he’d handed Le the knife used in the stabbing.
He also confessed to starting the fight and arming himself with a machete.
Defence lawyer Jordana Fayman told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 21 July that the now 20-year-old refrigeration apprentice who lived with his parents had shown remorse.
He’d pleaded guilty to the charge of affray at an early stage and written an apology to the victim.
He also assisted the police investigation in which he “confessed to his involvement and took responsibility”.
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell held Nguyen responsible for the “serious consequences” that flowed from “young men armed and turning up to cause trouble”.
But his confession was also a “significant act”. Historically, co-offenders “pointed the finger” at each other after affrays, making it difficult for police to work out what happened, Ms O’Donnell said.
“This is an act that would generally carry a jail term but for the fact that he’s 20 with no prior history.”
Nguyen was convicted on a 12-month community corrections order with 150 hours of unpaid work.
Le had been sentenced at an earlier date to a 12-month CCO with unpaid work, the court heard.
