A teenager who repeatedly slashed a security guard with a knife while he pleaded for his life has been sentenced to two years in jail, a year after the “harrowing” attack.

Tyrone Pascoe, who was 18 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to the assault that left a security guard and father-of-two with lacerations across his body.

In the Supreme Court in Darwin on Friday morning, Justice Jenny Blokland described the matter as “a most harrowing ordeal”.

In handing down her sentence, Justice Blokland said Pascoe, who was heavily intoxicated at the time, was sheltering from the rain at the Karama Shops on November 25 last year, when he began arguing with a female.

The court heard that the 28-year-old security guard approached the pair and asked them to leave the shelter of the shops, a request that sparked an argument.

Justice Blokland told the court the argument escalated, and the security guard physically removed Pascoe into the rain.

“[Pascoe] then stopped and took his shirt off and started yelling, offering to fight [the security guard],” the judge said.

“[He] then produced a 30-centimeter curved bladed weapon, he took up an aggressive fighting stance and then suddenly ran at speed towards the victim, brandishing the knife towards him in a threatening manner.”

The court heard Pascoe screamed words to the effect of “I’ll murder you, I’ll stab you” as he ran towards the security guard.

Within seconds, he’d reached the guard and began slashing the knife in an overhead motion, stabbing at the victim’s head and neck at least five times in quick succession.

“[He was] screaming, ‘Stop, stop, stop, please, I have kids. I have got f***ing kids bro,'” she said.

“Pascoe continued to stab at his head and neck area.”

Victim suffered physical and psychological harm

The court was told the security guard was left with lacerations, wounds and bruises across his body and was taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital.

He was also left with heightened anxiety and stress for many months in the aftermath.

In a victim impact statement submitted to the court, the security guard detailed the thoughts he had during the attack about not being there for his partner, two-year-old daughter and baby.

He said he felt stress and anxiety over visiting the shops and was forced to take time off work and work reduced hours after the incident.

In handing down her sentence, Justice Blokland said she considered Pascoe’s young age and “fairly serious” criminal history, which included break-ins, stealing — and on one occasion — an assault against a police officer.

The court heard that Pascoe’s upbringing in Maningrida – a remote community in the heart of Arnhem Land — was tumultuous and marred by family fighting.

Justice Blokland described pictures of the knife previously shown to the court as “frightening to look at” and said the “sheer terror inflicted on the victim” informed the gravity of the offending.

“Fortunately, he did not.”

Pascoe was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison, suspended after two years.

Justice Blokland also imposed a strict two-year probation upon his release.