Victim 'lured' to car park and stabbed in neck in front of his mother; duo sentenced

An uncle and nephew team lured their victim to a car park where he was stabbed in the neck in front of his mother.

Ashleigh Wayne Wilson, 34, and his 24-year-old nephew Andrew James Francis Beath-Williams have been sentenced over the attack on 1 October 2020.

Recently released sentencing remarks by the ACT Supreme Court’s Acting Justice Stephen Norrish say both them and an associate believed their future victim had sexually abused a friend of theirs and planned an attack in retribution.

He said there was no evidence the victim had done anything wrong, just that the trio believed he had.

The two family members “lured” their victim to a Canberra car park “under the guise” of purchasing cannabis from a mutual acquaintance, Acting Justice Norrish said.

They and their associate drove to meet their victim, who arrived with his mother.

Pulling out knives, Wilson stabbed him in the neck while the associate also stabbed him and they stole a watch and $110 in cash.

The mother drove off to get assistance and her son was treated at the Canberra Hospital after being picked up by an ambulance from a service station. He was found to have a stab wound to his neck, two to his thighs, bruising to his head and a nasal bone fracture.

He underwent surgery and has permanent scarring.

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Acting Justice Norrish said Beath-Williams didn’t know his co-offenders were going to stab their victim; instead, he believed he was going to be bashed or spoken to about the alleged sexual abuse.

He was also very concerned about the outcome, Acting Justice Norrish said, as indicated when he told another person: “Oh f–k, it went wrong. It was just meant to be a bashing. [The victim] got stabbed.”

Wilson described the offences as “horrible”, and Acting Justice Norrish accepted both had shown remorse.

The duo’s associate has not been charged because the authorities have not been able to find him.

Wilson pleaded guilty to intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm and aggravated robbery, while Beath-Williams pleaded guilty to being knowingly concerned in the reckless infliction of grievous bodily harm.

Both spent almost a year in custody before their sentencing in February 2022. Wilson was arrested in Tasmania in February 2021 and was extradited to the ACT, while his nephew was arrested a few days later.

They had originally been accused of attempted murder, but these charges were discontinued.

Wilson was sentenced to four years and nine months’ jail, with a non-parole period of two years and four months, meaning he is eligible to be released in June 2023.

Beath-Williams was sentenced to two years and three months’ jail with a one-year non-parole period. Taking into account time served, it meant he was eligible to be released earlier this February.