Boxer stabbed for ex-partner remark
A father of seven who brutally stabbed a famed boxer north of Brisbane several times has lost his bid to appeal his sentence.
Israel Colin Buggy, 47, is serving seven years in jail for viciously attacking Gympie boxer Danny Hawkins at his home on September 18, 2021.
Buggy arrived with others at the Hawkins home after the boxer had made a passing comment about Buggy’s ex-partner looking pregnant the day before the assault.
During the interaction between the group, Mr Hawkins removed plastic knuckle dusters he was wearing when the scuffle started.
Buggy, who was carrying a 15cm knife during the fight, had pleaded guilty to one count of acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.
During Buggy’s original sentence, the court declared his crime a serious violent offence, meaning he has to serve 80 per cent before being eligible for parole.
However, Buggy applied to the Appeal Court of Queensland to instead set his sentence at six years and make the parole eligibility date at 50 per cent of his sentence.
Court documents state that Buggy had argued that the fight was not a direct result of Mr Hawkins’ “innocuous” comments about the pregnancy, and there were text messages between the two in the lead-up to the altercation.
“The applicant submits that this in full context demonstrates that the offending occurred during a consensual fight which was foreseen and encouraged by the complainant, not simply a reaction to a perceived slight,” the judgment read.
The application was dismissed on Friday after Justices Dalton, Flanagan and Cooper found the original sentence was not manifestly excessive.
“It was warranted in the circumstances of this case.
“The sentencing judge had a proper appreciation of the context of the offending.”
Mr Hawkins is a legend in Gympie, having fought with the iconic Fred Brophy Boxing Troupe, for more than a decade.
