Jail over spree of violence

A KIRWAN man who stabbed a cleaner twice in the torso while trying to rob the Townsville Tenpin & Fun Centre has been sentenced to five years in prison.

In a separate incident, John Tristan Tass, 25, also assaulted a man with a baseball bat and threw a knife at him.

Tass was sentenced in Townsville District Court yesterday for a string of charges including attempted armed robbery while armed, common assault and assault occasionally bodily harm.

Tass entered the centre on September 23, 2016 after it had closed and demanded money from a man who was there cleaning with his partner and her eight- year- old son.

When the man tried to push Tass out of the centre, he stabbed him twice in the torso.

Tass disguised himself during the attempted robbery by wearing sunglasses and a hoodie pulled up over his head.

Judge Terry Martin SC said it was sheer luck that more serious injuries were not sustained.

CCTV footage showed Tass striking the man with force in the torso area with the knife.

In a separate incident in October 2015 Tass assaulted a man who was with his former partner to pick up his daughter, who was staying with Tass at the time.

Tass hit the man’s arm with a baseball bat, hitting his elbow before throwing the baseball bat, which hit and smashed a window.

Tass also threw a knife at the man who used a highchair to shield himself. The knife connected with the highchair, leaving a hole.

Tass will be eligible for parole on May 27, 2018 after already serving 241 days in custody awaiting sentencing.