A prisoner has openly confessed in court to murdering a fellow inmate, stating he carried out the killing because the victim was a convicted child sex offender. The shocking admission came during a brief hearing at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Fatal Assault in Maryborough Prison
Shannon Daniel Norgate, 28, was found with significant injuries following an assault at Maryborough Correctional Centre, located north of Queensland's Sunshine Coast, on November 26. He was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries and died on December 1.
Norgate had a disturbing criminal history. In 2020, he was jailed for sexually abusing young boys. The court heard that on multiple occasions, he disguised himself as a security guard to lure children into toilet blocks at a Gladstone shopping centre and a school. In one particularly harrowing incident, he followed two boys, aged four and five, into a school toilet, took the younger boy's hand, and sexually abused him while the five-year-old watched.
After serving 406 days, Norgate was released but was later jailed again for breaching court orders, including contravening an offender prohibition order. In 2023, he was sentenced to six years behind bars.
Courtroom Confession and Charges
On Wednesday, two fellow inmates at Maryborough Correctional Centre were charged with Norgate's murder: Bodhi James Barry Johnson, 29, and Isaac James Martin, 31.
Appearing via video link from prison on Thursday, Martin made a blunt confession to Magistrate Aaron Simpson. Wearing a white prison-issue smock, Martin stated, "That's right, Your Honour. I killed old mate because he was a child molester. I'm not denying anything. I killed him."
Martin revealed he knew he faced a mandatory life sentence if found guilty of murder but chose to represent himself in court. "I'm representing myself, mate," he told the magistrate, who urged him to seek legal counsel, explaining that "killing a person does not necessarily mean it's murder."
Background of the Accused and Remand
Isaac James Martin is already serving a significant prison sentence. In 2023, he was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for the unlawful striking that caused the death of fellow inmate Zlatko Sikorsky, who was awaiting trial for a separate murder.
The second accused, Bodhi James Barry Johnson, appeared via video link wearing a green prison t-shirt. The court heard he is applying for legal representation and is now held at Woodford Correctional Centre, north of Brisbane. Johnson had been eligible to apply for parole next month while serving a sentence for car theft and arson.
Both men were remanded in custody, with their cases scheduled to return to court on March 9. The incident has cast a stark light on prison violence and the perils faced by inmates convicted of crimes against children within the correctional system.
