Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
A Virden man has been sentenced to two years in prison for stabbing a man in the back with a 13-inch knife.
Damien Wonnop, 22, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for the incident, which happened in May 2010.
Wonnop appeared in Brandon court yesterday to hear his sentence.
“The victim … almost lost his life and continues to suffer from his injuries some two years later,” said Brandon Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Robert Cummings.
“The injuries were quite serious … (the victim’s) life hung in the balance for some time … He was not able to return to work for months.”
RCMP were called to a home on Wellington Street East in Virden around 9:37 p.m. on May 25, 2010, and learned that two men were involved in an argument which then erupted into a fight.
During that fight, a then 19-year-old Oak Lake man was stabbed in the lower back with a kitchen knife.
Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup described the events of that evening, reading text messages that were sent from Wonnop’s cellphone. Lonstrup said the victim used two females as “bait” to get Wonnop to attend the home, as he knew Wonnop had “a crush” on one of the them.
Wonnop texted one of the women saying he saw who was there, and wasn’t coming inside. But as Lonstrup explained, he decided to go inside anyway.
“Mr. Wonnop even in coming over to the house, was somewhat conscious that he may be involved in some sort of trap,” Lonstrup said. “Clearly he knows he’s going into a bad situation, and he’s got knives in his backpack at that point.”
When Wonnop was sitting in a chair inside the residence he was confronted, unarmed. The verbal confrontation escalated to a fight, resulting in Wonnop stabbing the victim in the back.
“What we know is Mr. Wonnop came over to the house and at the end of this ... (the victim) had a knife literally sticking out of his back,” Lonstrup said. “We’re lucky we’re not dealing with a homicide here.”
The Crown asked for a two-year penitentiary sentence.
Wonnop broke down in tears when he addressed the court.
“I know what I did was wrong,” he said. “I’m just scared of what’s going to happen.”
Defence lawyer Bob Harrison said the accused only has a Grade 9 education, has been bullied throughout his life and has mental health issues. Harrison noted Wonnop had no prior record and is very remorseful. He requested 18 months in a provincial institution.
Cummings agreed with the Crown attorney’s recommendation.
“I have before me a 22-year-old man. As the Crown correctly points out, this is on the serious side of the spectrum which encompasses aggravated assault,” Cummings said. “The victim … almost lost his life.
“It was out of character for Mr. Wonnop. He happened to have the knives on his person when the confrontation ensued,” Cummings said. “However, once the confrontation began, he brought out the knives and used one of them … He’s been on strict release conditions for two years and there have been no breaches or other charges laid.”
Wonnop was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by a two-year probation period.
» jaustin@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition May 15, 2012
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A Virden man has been sentenced to two years in prison for stabbing a man in the back with a 13-inch knife.
Damien Wonnop, 22, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for the incident, which happened in May 2010.
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A Virden man has been sentenced to two years in prison for stabbing a man in the back with a 13-inch knife.
Damien Wonnop, 22, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for the incident, which happened in May 2010.
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