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The Daily Mail
By BRITTANY CHAIN and LAURA HEDGES FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 01:12 EDT, 16 November 2018 | UPDATED: 01:13 EDT, 16 November 2018
A young man fatally stabbed his father after being ordered off the computer
Daniel Chapman, 22, was also told to find somewhere else to live by his father
He then reached for a knife from his medieval collection and stabbed his dad
He was sentenced to six years in jail with a non parole period of three years
His autism spectrum disorder and ‘momentary lapse’ were cited in sentencing
A young man who fatally stabbed his father after he was told to stop playing on his computer has been jailed for at least three years.
Daniel Chapman, 22, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Stephen Chapman, 56, on the evening of October 2, 2016 at the family’s home at Moorebank, Sydney.
In the New South Wales Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Ian Harrison jailed him for six years with a non-parole period of three years, noting his autism spectrum disorder and his ‘momentary lapse’ in being unable to control himself.
Daniel Chapman, 22, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Stephen Chapman, 56, on the evening of October 2, 2016 at the family’s home at Moorebank, Sydney +5
Daniel Chapman, 22, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Stephen Chapman, 56, on the evening of October 2, 2016 at the family’s home at Moorebank, Sydney
Daniel Chapman (pictured) was an avid gamer and psychiatrist Dr Olav Nielssen told a Supreme Court sentencing hearing he has ‘features of an autism spectrum’ +5
Daniel Chapman (pictured) was an avid gamer and psychiatrist Dr Olav Nielssen told a Supreme Court sentencing hearing he has ‘features of an autism spectrum’
Daniel was pictured arriving at King Street court in Sydney. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter after fatally stabbing his father +5
Daniel was pictured arriving at King Street court in Sydney. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter after fatally stabbing his father
On the night of offending, Mr Chapman grew tired of Daniel’s constant addiction to gaming technology and told him too find a new place to rent.
He then disconnected the internet in the house and was in the process of removing cables from Daniels computer when he was stabbed in the back, Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Daniel, who was also an avid fan of medieval weapons, had a slew of knives next to his bed, and lodged a knife with a 14 centimetre blade in his father’s back.
He then walked out to the kitchen, where his mother was eating dinner, and informed her that he had stabbed his father.
In October 2016, Daniel Chapman – 20 at the time – stabbed his father Stephen (pictured) with a hunting knife after the 56-year-old unplugged his computer +5
In October 2016, Daniel Chapman – 20 at the time – stabbed his father Stephen (pictured) with a hunting knife after the 56-year-old unplugged his computer
After a short delay, the ambulance was called by a neighbour, but was fed the wrong information about a ‘cut up hand’ and therefore didn’t prioritse the job.
By the time the neighbour realised the truth and called back to inform the officer that Mr Chapman had been stabbed, it was nearly half an hour since the incident.
Psychiatrist Dr Olav Nielssen said Chapman had been on the anti-depressant Prozac, but stopped taking it two weeks before the incident. He said this may explain his ‘sudden, irrational anger’ towards his father
Psychiatrist Dr Olav Nielssen said Chapman had been on the anti-depressant Prozac, but stopped taking it two weeks before the incident. He said this may explain his ‘sudden, irrational anger’ towards his father
Mr Chapman died from a loss of blood on the way to hospital.
Daniel has already spent over two years in prison and has allegedly suffered from sleep deprivation, and had been attacked, resulting in him losing a tooth.
During a sentencing hearing last Friday, psychiatrist Dr Olav Nielssen told the Supreme Court Daniel had ‘features of an autism spectrum’.
Nielssen said Chapman had been on the anti-depressant Prozac, but had stopped taking it around two weeks before the incident.
The court heard Chapman was ‘at the extreme end of screen addiction’ and seemed ‘obsessed’ with gaming.
Chapman’s mother, Elaine Bell, cried in court and said that she wanted her son to come home.