A Mount Warrigal man has been jailed for a minimum of 15 months for stabbing his partner in the leg during a heated argument on a Wollongong street last year.
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Sylvan Rose-Rankin, 30, was on parole for domestic violence matters when he lashed out at the woman in a fit of rage on Corrimal Street on the evening of October 26.
Witnesses described the pair as arguing, with the woman ‘‘screaming loudly and incoherently’’, a sitting of the District Court was told on Wednesday.
At one stage, Rose-Rankin was seen to feign hitting the woman, causing her to continue yelling.
A few moments later, Rose-Rankin lunged towards the woman and stabbed her with what police described as ‘‘an unknown object, possibly a screwdriver’’.
It was later discovered the object was a small pocket knife.
Rose-Rankin immediately fled the scene, leaving the woman standing in the street ‘‘bleeding profusely’’.
Several passers-by came to the woman’s aid and she was taken to Wollongong Hospital for treatment to a 10-centimetre cut on her leg.
She required eight stitches, the court heard.
Meantime, a witness in a vehicle followed Rose-Rankin to a property on Glebe Street.
He left moments later on a black pushbike, prompting the witness to again follow him.
When Rose-Rankin realised he was being followed, he turned around and rode towards the vehicle, spitting on the windscreen as he passed.
Police arrived moments later and organised for a sniffer dog to track Rose-Rankin.
His scent was traced to a property in Church Street but police did not find him at the scene when they arrived.
He was arrested the following day at his Freeman Parade residence.
In court on Wednesday, Rose-Rankin’s lawyer said the knife had belonged to the victim and she had drawn it during the argument.
‘‘He took it off her and that’s when the stabbing occurred,’’ defence lawyer Graeme Morrison said.
Handing down the sentence, Judge Paul Conlon said Rose-Rankin’s lengthy criminal record was littered with acts of violence.
‘‘Given his extensive record it would be difficult for the court to believe he has any good prospects of rehabilitation,’’ Judge Conlon said.
With time already served, Rose-Rankin will be eligible for parole next April.