A man who stabbed an off-duty police officer between the eyes after drunkenly storming his family home was on bail at the time accused of assaulting police.
Jade Hunia, 20, invaded Senior Constable Daniel Yeoman’s house at Wantirna South in November while his wife, Shereen, and two children were also home.
He forced his way past Mrs Yeoman and demanded Mr Yeoman hand over a set of car keys before grabbing a knife in the kitchen and plunging it into the officer’s face.
Jade Hunia, 20, (pictured) invaded Senior Constable Daniel Yeoman’s house at Wantirna South in November while his wife, Shereen, and two children were also home
Mr Yeoman suffered a fractured eye socket and nerve damage and he and his wife say they are ‘different people’ since the invasion.
Hunia was on four sets of bail at the time in relation to charges including assaulting and resisting police, prosecutor John Livitsanos said on Friday.
‘It was not his first foray into the criminal sphere,’ he told a pre-sentence hearing in the County Court.
Mr Yeoman suffered a fractured eye socket and nerve damage and he and his wife say they are ‘different people’ since the invasion (pictured with his wife)
The prosecutor said a lengthy stint in an adult prison was needed for the unexplained and unnecessarily violent crime.
‘It could’ve been a death,’ Mr Livitsanos said.
‘There was no need for the violence. Mr Yeoman had ceded to his requests.
‘The explanation is solely alcohol.’
The prosecutor said Hunia was a ‘high functioning alcoholic’ from whom the community needed protection.
After the stabbing, Hunia fled in Mr Yeoman’s (pictured) Hyundai and was clocked speeding before crashing into a wall about 15km away
But defence lawyer Amelia Beech on Friday said Hunia had made progress in custody, taking anger management and alcohol abuse classes.
She argued that a term in a youth justice facility would be appropriate for Hunia, whose sister died shortly before the incident.
‘His personal history and dysfunctional childhood is also something to take into account,’ the lawyer said.
After the stabbing, Hunia fled in Mr Yeoman’s Hyundai and was clocked speeding before crashing into a wall about 15km away.
She argued that a term in a youth justice facility would be appropriate for Hunia (pictured), whose sister died shortly before the incident
‘He was flying,’ Mr Livitsanos said.
Hunia was capsicum-sprayed by police and arrested, initially giving a false name to the officers.
He later pleaded guilty to multiple charges over the attack, including recklessly causing injury and aggravated burglary.
The Yeomans’ two children, then aged 11 and nine, were asleep in their bedrooms at the time of the home invasion.
Mrs Yeoman heard her dogs barking and then saw Hunia climbing the back stairs to her home before forcing entry.
Judge Mark Dean expects to sentence Hunia on October 10.