A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison with a 17-year minimum for killing a fellow New Year’s Eve partygoer with a machete at Wedge Island, north of Perth.

Joseph Robert Houston was found guilty of using a machete to strike the neck of 20-year-old James Dorloff just after midnight on January 1, 2014.

Mr Dorloff died at the scene.

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Houston then slashed another man, Tyson Cumming, across the hand with the machete.

The men had been at a beachside New Year’s Eve gathering and the attacks happened after fights broke out.

Joseph Houston had two previous convictions for offences involving a machete. Photo: Supplied

At his trial Houston maintained he had acted in self-defence, claiming Mr Dorloff had a knife, but Justice Stephen Hall said the jury had clearly rejected his claim and had accepted Mr Dorloff was not armed.

There was also evidence Houston was heard just before the murder yelling “I’m going to kill these c….” and “Who wants to get stabbed?”.

Justice Hall said Houston’s angry behaviour had led him to find that he did have an intention to kill, although it was only brief.

The court heard Houston had two previous convictions for offences involving a machete, including one incident where he slashed a man across the back.

“It was almost inevitable that your tendencies to violence and the use of knives would lead to somebody being killed,” Justice Hall said.

Reports presented to the court found Houston had shown no remorse for what he had done.

His lawyer, Anthony Eyres, said that was because his client “hasn’t been able to come to grips with what he’s done”.

Houston was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 17 years.

He was also sentenced to six years in jail for the attack on Mr Cumming, but the term will be served at the same time as the life sentence.

Stop the violence, family says

The machete used by Joseph Houston in the attack. Photo: Supplied

Mr Dorloff’s father, Dean, said he hoped the death of his son would send a message to the community.

“Just [to] try and stop a bit of the teenage violence would be good, because it’s senseless. I just don’t know why it happens but I don’t know the answers,” Mr Dorloff said.

Mr Dorloff’s mother, Sue, said his murder had been devastating.

“It’s ruined so many lives, not just ours but our extended family. It’s obviously ruining theirs as well. It’s senseless, pointless,” she said.

Ms Dorloff also said the family had “to bear the cross” of knowing Houston had previous convictions for using a machete.

The couple described their son as a happy boy who liked having fun.

“He made everyone feel special. He made everyone feel like they were his best mate,” Ms Dorloff said.

They also said they were relieved the case was over and hoped they could now move on.