Jail term for man who stabbed brother

A 32-year-old man who stabbed his brother twice in the torso has been jailed for 12 months.

Daniel James Curley was sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court at Geraldton via video-link from Greenough Regional Prison this week.

Curley became involved in a verbal argument with his brother at their sister’s house on October 2, and his brother took himself off to bed because he didn’t want to deal with Curley in his intoxicated state.

Curley went into the room where his brother was sleeping, on a mattress on the floor, and wrestled with him for several minutes before going to the kitchen and retrieving a “large knife” and stabbing him once in the chest and once in the back.

His brother suffered non-life threatening injuries but was flown to Perth for medical treatment.

The court heard Curley was disarmed by his sister and the incident was witnessed by other family members, including children.

Magistrate Donna Webb said the event had “had a horrible and traumatic affect” on the children.

She said medical evidence showed the stab wound to the chest was near vital organs and with a bit more force Curley could have been facing murder or attempted murder charges.

“It is a miracle someone didn’t die,” she said.

Curley’s sentence was backdated to October 2 for time already spent in custody.