Sydney Resident Sentenced For Stabbing Brother Over Bitcoin

By Cristian Lipciuc October 08, 2020 In Australia, Bitcoin, Sydney

Warren Shane Collins, 54, who pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, has been sentenced yesterday to a maximum prison term of seven years and will be eligible for parole after three-and-a-half years.

Schizophrenia Diagnosis

The judge stated she took into account the vicious nature of the attack and the amount of time the victim was left injured before emergency services were called. However, the sentence issued was still less than it would have been in other circumstances, owing to Warren’s 2019 diagnosis of schizophrenia.

In 2018, Ben Collins – Warren’s brother – flew out from Melbourne for a visit.

 After Ben downloaded YouTube onto Warren’s phone so he could listen to  music, Warren became suspicious that he was trying to hijack the device in order to steal his bitcoin.

Advertisement

He also believed his brother was spiking his food with the drug ice, – an amphetamine and a substance he had been using in the weeks prior. Unfortunately, the use of amphetamines gave him a paranoid state.

After a dispute that lasted a week, Ben called his sister to say that relations between the two had soured and he was catching a plane home. Ben also said at the time that he was alarmed at his brothers’ mental state and was unsure of what had happened.

However, at 5 in the morning Warren grabbed a small knife from the kitchen and stabbed his brother multiple times while he was asleep.

When asked why, Warren replied that it was in retaliation for the alleged theft.

 “I’m stabbing you, I’m going to kill you… because you stole all my Bitcoin”.

He then denied access to a phone to call emergency services for 2 hours, after which he stabbed himself in the stomach and drank hydrochloric acid – in a bid to avoid jail by killing himself.

Both survived, needing multiple surgeries – however, Warren will permanently be fed through a nasal tube, as his digestive tract suffered multiple wounds from the acid.

In court, Warren proved remorseful – and in combination with his mental condition, this helped Judge Chris Craigie with sentencing.

Cristian Lipciuc
Author

Cristian Lipciuc

Cristian Lipciuc is a blockchain journalist working with startup companies across multiple domains such as freelancing, app development & cryptocurrency. Cristian specializes in applied blockchain technologies, cryptocurrency integration, the adoption of new technologies by governments, and cybersecurity.

You may also like