Knifeman to undergo counselling
A GOLD Coast man who stabbed a neighbour in the chest will have to undergo anger management counselling before a judge will finalise his sentencing.
The wounding occurred after the woman armed herself with a stone frying pan.
Brandon Marshal WalkerWest, 20, pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to wounding.
Judge Katherine McGinness adjourned proceedings prior to handing down the sentence so that Walker-West could undergo anger management counselling.
“He made very poor decisions which could have ended up killing somebody,” she said.
Prosecutor Kathleen Christopherson said there was an argument between Walker-West and his family and neighbours who lived in the same Palm Beach apartment block about 2.30pm on February 3 last year.
“There was bad blood between them for months,” she said.
The court was told after a physical confrontation where the victim’s mother punched Walker-West, the victim retrieved a large stone frying pan from her apartment.
Walker-West returned to his apartment and got a large carving knife from the kitchen.
“He has swung the knife at her as she has swung the frying pan,” Ms Christopherson said.
Walker-West stabbed the woman in her chest, leaving a cut to her abdominal muscle and liver.
Barrister David Funch said the victim had admitted in her statement that she was being “deliberately offensive" and swore at them. He said the offending was “more in the nature of excessive self-defence”.
The matter will return to court next month.
EMILY HALLORAN
THE saying goes “behind every great man is a greater woman”.
That is what inspired Gold Coast producer Chris Brown to create the biopic Slim & I, based on the lives of famed country music singers Slim Dusty and Joy McKean.
The 63-year-old, who has made multiple Golden Globe-winning and Oscar nominated films, said he couldn’t say no when offered the gig by Universal Pictures.
“There has been so much good stuff done on Slim. I didn’t think there would be anything else to say,” Brown told the Bulletin in an exclusive interview.
“I started reading around the subject and then I found (Slim’s wife) Joy (McKean).
“Joy was the first female to present a radio show in Australia, ever. She was the first woman to win the Golden Globes guitar. She was behind Slim’s hits, organised all of his tours, all of his publishing deals.
“She understood Slim’s talent and managed his career in the most extraordinary way.
“It’s an extraordinary 50year love story. It’s like a road movie and music doco all rolled into one.”
Famed country music singers Keith Urban, Missy Higgins and Troy CassarDaley all put their hands up to help with the project.
“We just rang them all up. All of them were like ‘where do you want us to come’.
“We got them together and they all covered a song.
“Missy Higgins with a ukulele singing The Biggest Disappointment was incredible. It sends shivers down your spine.”
Joy McKean, 90, was to have been at the world premiere of Slim & I at the Gold Coast Film Festival on April 17 but “devastated” organisers made the difficult decision yesterday to cancel the event as a result of the coronavirus threat.
“This will be a heartbreaking situation for so many filmmakers, guests, sponsors and our team. However, the safety and health of our guests and staff is paramount,” a statement read. “We will work with filmmakers and venues to reschedule some film events in the future.”
Ticket holders will be contacted by HOTA next week to sort out refunds.
Brown is the man behind some of Australia’s leading films, from Gold Coast and Brisbane shot The Railway Man starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth, Daybreakers and The Proposition. Slim & I is the first film he has shot on home turf since 2013.
Slim Dusty died in 2003 at the age of 76 due to lung cancer.