A MAN watching football on television launched a potentially fatal attack on his sister after she came home and changed channels, a court was told.
Trevor Fyffe grabbed a knife from the kitchen and repeatedly lunged at Vivienne Golding, inflicting arm injuries in what the judge described as a “sustained” assault.
Fyffe, who was mentally ill at the time, was handed a suspended prison sentence at Southampton Crown Court yesterday.
Michael Forster, prosecuting, said Fyffe’s mother and sister returned home from church on July 15 2018 and and found the defendant sitting in front of the television. Ms Golding changed channels because she did not think her mother wanted to watch football.
The defendant grabbed a knife and lunged at his sister, causing cuts to her left arm, the court heard.
Mr Forster said Fyffe was arrested and interviewed by police. “He said he was frightened because his sister had done karate and he picked up the knife in case she attacked him. He also said he had a TV in his room but it wasn’t as good as the one in the living room.”
Fyffe, 61, of Hulse Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding.
Charles Gabb, mitigating, said his client’s mental illness had finally been diagnosed and he was responding positively to treatment.
Judge Christopher Parker QC told Fyffe: “During an argument about something that was completely trivial you picked up a knife, lunged at your sister two or three times and wounded her in the arm.
“Mercifully her injuries were comparatively minor compared to what could have been a terrible and tragic outcome.
“You had been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia which had gone untreated for nearly a quarter of a century. This had led to a history of violent behaviour, particularly towards your sister.
“The harm you caused was not very great but it could have been fatal.
“It was a sustained attack and was not the first time you had displayed aggression in the home. They need protection - you need help.”
Fyffe was jailed for 15 months, suspended for 12 months. He was also handed a mental health treatment order and a restraining order.
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