Family violence offender jailed
A repeat family violence offender who spat on his mum and threatened to kill her has been sentenced to eight months in jail.
Daniel Neil Thomas appeared via video link from Hakea Prison at the Armadale Magistrates Court on Monday.
He pleaded guilty to breaching a protected bail condition, adding to four earlier guilty pleas.
On October 16, Mr Neil got into an argument with his mother at her house in High Wycombe, where he spat on her before grabbing her face with both hands and saying “I’m going to f***ing kill you”.
When police arrested him, he protested “I didn’t mean it, it was just words”.
While out on bail for that offence, he went back to his mum’s house in direct contravention of his bail conditions.
He also pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour; whilst being driven to the watchhouse for the breach of bail on November 19, Mr Neil spat everywhere, and smeared his bodily fluid all over the CCTV camera and vehicle.
The final guilty plea was entered for assaulting a family member in April last year.
The court heard that Mr Neil had also previously assaulted his sister in December 2022.
In that attack, Mr Neil was said to have pushed his mother over, grabbed his sister by the throat, thrown her down and punched her to the head.
He also threw the family dog against a wall cabinet.
Mr Neil’s lawyer said he was a diagnosed schizophrenic, who often disagreed with his prescription medication and self-medicated with alcohol and drugs.
He also said Mr Neil had trouble “managing the emotion in his relationship with his mum”.
“His mother still supports him, but at arm’s length,” he said.
He said Mr Neil has been making progress through his engagement with mental health support and had attended Holyoake drug and alcohol counselling sessions.
Magistrate Brian Mahon said the “fairest outcome” would be to take stock of “what Mr Neil has achieved”.
He also said he believed a totality prison sentence would “give him time to reflect”.
Daniel Thomas was sentenced to eight months in total in prison.
“Steer clear of illicit drugs while you’re in Hakea, Mr Neil. It is expensive and doesn’t help your mental health,” Magistrate Mahon said.
A Gosnells woman has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault after telling police officers “there was no other way to get [the victim] to shut up”.
Stoush with partner’s ex lands woman in strife
Catherine Anne Greaves appeared in Armadale Magistrates Court on Monday on a raft of charges including the assault, possession of a meth pipe, and driving an unlicenced vehicle on a cancelled licence.
She pleaded guilty to all of them.
On November 28, Ms Greaves punched the ex-girlfriend of her current partner multiple times in the back of the head.
Her lawyer explained that Ms Greaves acted in defence of her partner who had just been physically attacked by his ex.
“She then made the poor decision to leave the situation in her car, instead of wait for someone to collect her,” the lawyer continued.
Magistrate Brian Mahon said it was a very serious assault which required a term of imprisonment.
“As soon as you punch someone to the back of the head, that could lead to very severe consequences,” he said.
He imposed a sentence of seven months imprisonment, but suspended for nine months.
He also fined Ms Greaves $2400 for the assault, $300 for possession of the pipe, and $300 for driving the unlicenced vehicle.
For driving on a cancelled licence, Ms Greaves was disqualified from driving for nine months.
Prisoner spared more time after damaging cell
A prisoner who was serving time in Hakea for robbery has narrowly escaped more prison time after vandalising his cell.
Tyler Isaacs appeared via video link from Albany Prison at the Armadale Magistrates Court on Monday.
He pleaded guilty to smashing a window, and damaging the sink and toilet in his Hakea cell.
The lawyer representing him said Mr Isaacs had “lashed out” because prison officers had been “treating him badly”.
Magistrate Brian Mahon said destroying prison property was a serious offence and needed a term of imprisonment.
However, he then imposed a four-month prison term, to be served concurrently with his current 2.5-year sentence, meaning no additional time served.
Driver warned after receiving spent conviction: “I will remember you”
A man who punched a driver ten times in the head through a car window in a road rage incident has walked away with a fine.
Yahya Mizher appeared at Armadale Magistrates Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to the assault which occurred on Spencer Rd in Thornlie.
His lawyer said Mr Mizher accepted “he had taken the matter too far” but that “a degree of provocation” was involved and that Mr Mizher was defending his wife.
His lawyer asked the judge for leniency and a spent conviction owing to Mr Mizher’s young age (22), and his previous good character, with no criminal history.
Mr Mizher’s wife and infant child were present in the courtroom.
The police prosecutor disagreed with a spent conviction, telling the court that assault related to driving should be made an example of.
Magistrate Brian Mahon fined Mr Mizher $3000 for the assault and granted a spent conviction.
“But this is the only one you’ll get, so make sure I don’t see you again in my court. I don’t believe I will. I think you are sincerely remorseful. But you are also the very first Yahya Mizher I have ever met, so I will remember you,” Magistrate Mahon said.
