Violent Siege Ends With Officer Stabbed
A man with a history of violent crime, including a prior conviction for manslaughter, has been sentenced to prison after a violent confrontation with police in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Toronto.
Stephen McGuiness, 37, was jailed in Newcastle Supreme Court on Monday after pleading guilty to a series of charges stemming from a dramatic siege on Awaba Road in the early hours of July 6 last year.
A History of Explosive Anger
The court heard that McGuiness, who has spent much of the past decade in prison, is prone to outbursts of "explosive anger", particularly when he fails to maintain his medication regime. The incident began when McGuiness, who had been drinking and using drugs, assaulted his sister, punching her in the back of the head and knocking her to the ground.
When police were called to the scene, McGuiness and his nephew, Aden Temlet, barricaded themselves inside the home. Officers forced entry through the back door, but were met with a heavily armed and resistant McGuiness.
Golden Knuckle Dusters and a Ring Knife
During the arrest attempt, McGuiness had equipped himself with golden knuckle dusters on his right hand and a more unusual weapon—a black knife blade attached to a ring on his left hand, known as a ring knife.
He violently resisted arrest, using the weapons to attack a senior constable. The officer was stabbed in the chest, hand, and knee, with the knee wound bleeding heavily. It required a significant number of police officers to finally subdue and arrest McGuiness.
The injured senior constable was transported to hospital for treatment, while other officers sustained minor injuries during the chaotic struggle.
A Decade-Long Pattern of Violence
This latest violent episode is part of a long-standing pattern for McGuiness. In February 2015, he was involved in a fatal fight in Windsor that led to the death of 26-year-old David Campbell. The confrontation was reportedly triggered by a "death stare" between two groups of strangers in a car park.
McGuiness was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the basis of excessive self-defence. He was sentenced to a maximum of eight years and six months, with a non-parole period of six years and four months.
Since his release on parole in January 2022, his freedom has been short-lived. He was returned to custody months later for striking someone in the head with a bottle during a brawl in Newcastle West.
Sentencing and a Stern Warning
On Monday, Judge Roy Ellis sentenced McGuiness to a maximum of three years and six months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years. With time already served, McGuiness will be eligible for release in July 2026.
Judge Ellis issued a direct warning to McGuiness, stating he needed to maintain his medication because "when you don't, you're a very dangerous man." The sentence reflects the serious nature of assaulting police officers and the ongoing risk posed by the offender when not properly medicated.
