Applause has erupted in a court room as a man was jailed for up to 22 years for killing a young father and stabbing his brother.
Ashley Roy Feetham repeatedly stabbed Dylan Bond, 26, and his brother Heath in April 2021 during a heated romantic dispute.
He faced a 12-day jury trial in October, where he was found guilty of murder and intentionally causing serious injury.
Heath’s fiancee had an affair with Feetham and they began a relationship after she broke up with him.
A fortnight after the break-up, Heath confronted his ex, Abbey Sexton, on a night out in Geelong, where they had a lengthy discussion about their relationship.
Feetham interrupted their chat and the two men fought in the street.
In the days following, Heath and Dylan Bond exchanged several messages and arranged to go to Ms Sexton’s house to “sort it”.
On April 26, the brothers drove to the house, in the Geelong suburb of Thomson.
Feetham, who was on the porch, ran inside and locked the door.
Heath walked through the sliding door at the side of the house and opened it, but was stabbed in the chest by Feetham within seconds.
He called out “knife” and Dylan rushed into the house and tried to restrain Feetham but he was stabbed several times in the chest.
Justice Stephen Kaye on Thursday said the brothers intended to physically confront Feetham when they went to the house and he had grabbed a knife and stabbed them to defend himself.
But, he found Feetham’s actions “significantly exceeded” what was necessary to protect himself from the brothers.
“Your actions were entirely disproportionate to the degree of threat they posed to you,” he told the Supreme Court, as he sentenced Feetham.
“The use by you of a knife is not only unnecessary but plainly could only have ended with tragic consequences.”
Dylan, who had married the mother of his 17-month-old son just two months earlier, died at the scene.
Heath, who lost 1.5 litres of blood, survived after undergoing emergency surgery and spending days in intensive care.
Justice Kaye jailed Feetham for up to 22 years, and he must spend at least 16 years behind bars before he can apply for parole.
“You used a knife which is a dangerous and lethal weapon,” he said.
As the judge stood to adjourn the court, dozens of the Bond family and friends seated in the public gallery applauded.
