Matthew Niel Forrest Healy: Bunbury man cops fine after arming himself with knife and confronting sister

A 23-year-old Bunbury man has received a stern warning on how to manage interpersonal conflicts after being fined for arming himself with a knife and hammer while trying to confront his sister over constant arguments with her partner. Matthew Niel Forrest Healy was fined $1000 but spared from having a conviction recorded of being armed in a way that may cause fear being during a sitting of the Bunbury Magistrates Court on Thursday. The court was told Healy was at his Bunbury home during the morning of March 23 when his sister and her partner, who were living with him at the time, got into an argument. Healy armed himself with a knife and stormed into the bedroom before standing one metre away from his sister while armed, prompting her to fear she would be harmed. Healy’s sister then fled to a neighbouring property, knocking on the back door asking to be let in while Healy followed her while armed with the knife and a hammer. After failing to gain access to the neighbouring property, the victim then ran back to Healy’s home while Healy continued to pursue her. Following a physical altercation in the kitchen, the victim went back to the neighbour’s house and was let inside. The court was also told when the victim looked out of a window, she could see Healy pacing up and down while still holding the knife and hammer. During a police interview following Healy’s arrest, Healy told officers he “had enough of them”, referring to alleged constant arguing between his sister and her partner. In submissions, the court was told Healy’s sister and her partner moved into Healy’s home nine months prior to the incident but would constantly get into verbal arguments. Defence counsel Shona Paton said Healy would come home late at night and hear the pair arguing and that her client had “snapped” on the day of the offending. It was also submitted Healy had successfully completed the alcohol and other drug diversion program to address his cannabis addiction. In sentencing, Magistrate Linda Keane acknowledged that the offending was a result of being in “a pressure-cooker situation” but gave Healy a stern warning over dealing with interpersonal conflicts in an appropriate way. “Anyone who would have seen you that day would have thought you were a crazy psychopath,” she said. “Not dealing with situations in an appropriate way would make things worse for you.”