Married man stabs his mistress

A 67-YEAR-OLD Toowoomba man who stabbed his mistress on her bed has been jailed for five years.

Gary Raymond Lund had entered into an extramarital affair with the woman, who was a work colleague, about eight months prior to the incident on April 1, last year, Toowoomba District Court heard.

The couple had spoken about Lund leaving his wife and them moving in together, the court heard.

However, as the couple lay on the bed at her home about midday on that day, Lund had got up to use the bathroom but had instead gone to the kitchen and grabbed a knife, Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie told the court.

He returned to the bedroom saying: “I can’t do this anymore, I can’t be with you anymore”, she said.

He then stabbed the woman at least five times to the neck and chin and a struggle between the pair ensued during which he dropped the knife and the woman ran from the house.

Lund drove back to his house where police arrived soon after and arrested him.

His barrister Steve Kissick told the court the incident was so out of character for his client that when police arrived at the family home Lund’s wife initially thought it was an April Fool’s prank.

Lund pleaded guilty to one count of malicious act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Ms Petrie said the woman sustained a 3cm cut to her chin and a 2cm cut to her lower neck as well as other cuts to her neck and fingers.

Through a victim impact statement, the woman spoke of the “profound impact” the incident had had on her life, she said.

Mr Kissick said Lund had seen his doctor and a psychologist and was still trying to understand what happened.

Judge Katherine McGuinness noted the victim had spent a week in hospital after the event.

“This was a huge betrayal of trust, Mr Lund,” she told him.

“She (the victim) went from being in a loving relationship to being the victim of a violent attack.”

Judge McGuinness sentenced Lund to five years in jail but ordered the term be suspended after he has served 20 months with the remainder of the sentence to hang over his head for five years in which time he cannot reoffend.