A man who stabbed a priest at St Joseph’s Church in 2024 was sentenced to four years and three months’ jail on Friday (Aug 21). Basnayake Keith Spencer, 38, who was also sentenced to nine strokes of the cane, was voluntarily intoxicated during the attack. He had taken 5 nitrazepam tablets — allegedly to help him focus during mass. In sentencing, the judge called the attack “unprovoked and brazen”. He also noted this was not Basnayake's first violence-related offence while under the influence o