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An Edmonton man who stabbed a mall patron through the tongue after the man joked about the music being played by the attacker’s sister was put behind bars Thursday.

Ian Houle-Dvorak, 24, was sentenced to two years in jail, to be followed by three years of probation, after earlier pleading guilty to aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon.

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Provincial court Judge Joyce Lester called it one of the “most difficult” cases she had ever dealt with due to the “tragic” circumstances of both Houle-Dvorak and victim Vance Howse, but said she must deter those who bring weapons to public places.

“The damage to Mr. Howse, both physically and emotionally, was severe,” said Lester, calling Houle-Dvorak’s “severe physical response to unsolicited banter by an unarmed stranger in a shopping centre” an aggravating factor in the case.

The judge said Houle-Dvorak’s use of a knife, his extensive criminal record, which includes prior convictions of violence, and Howse’s “ongoing suffering” were also aggravating factors. She found Houle-Dvorak’s guilty plea and remorse were mitigating factors in sentencing.

Lester also spoke about Houle-Dvorak’s psychological issues, his “very troubling” upbringing involving a “dysfunctional” family and a court-ordered psychiatric assessment that concluded his violent behaviour is “unpredictable.”