A teenage killer who showed no remorse for the brutal murder of a beloved Melbourne doctor has been sentenced to 17 years in prison. However, due to his age and time already served, he is likely to be released while still younger than his victim was at the time of his death.
A Life Cut Short in a Brutal Attack
Dr Ashley Gordon was just 33 years old when he was repeatedly stabbed and hacked to death on Eildon Street in Doncaster, in Melbourne's east, on January 13 last year. The 16-year-old attacker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced on Tuesday by Justice Amanda Fox.
The court heard that Dr Gordon had confronted the teenager to perform a citizen’s arrest after catching him breaking into his home on nearby Sargent Street with three accomplices. In a vicious attack, the teen stabbed Dr Gordon 11 times. The wounds included a 10.8cm deep chest wound that pierced his lung and heart and a forehead wound so severe it shaved off part of his frontal bone.
A Sentence That Brought Anguish
Justice Fox sentenced the now 18-year-old to 17 years in jail, with a non-parole period of just 12 years. As the sentence was handed down, Dr Gordon's family and friends in the packed courtroom let out a gasp before breaking into tears.
With 685 days already served in youth detention, the killer will likely be released in his late 20s. In a further blow to the grieving family, Justice Fox recommended the Adult Parole Board keep the youth in youth detention for as long as possible to spare him the harshness of adult prison and allow him to continue his education.
"A key reason for this is it would allow you to continue your education, which in turn will enhance your prospects of rehabilitation," Justice Fox said. "Additionally, you are immature and impressionable. An adult prison will likely expose you to undesirable influences."
No Remorse and a Cynical Defence
The court was told the young killer remains completely remorseless and maintains his innocence, having pleaded not guilty to murder. He ran a cynical defence, claiming he acted in self-defence and falsely portraying Dr Gordon as an aggressor in a steroid-fuelled rage.
He claimed the doctor shoulder-charged him into a garage door and held him in a bear hug, prompting him to stab repeatedly to free himself. The jury dismissed these claims and the lies about vials of steroids in the doctor's garage.
"You continue to maintain your innocence, and you have not developed any genuine remorse for murdering Dr Gordon," Justice Fox told the offender. "Your lack of remorse is consistent with the fact that you do not accept the jury's verdict."
During the trial, Dr Gordon's heartbroken family delivered gut-wrenching victim impact statements. His sister, Tammy Gordon, confronted the killer face-to-face in court, describing the trauma of identifying her brother's body.
"You stabbed him 11 times. I saw him at the coroner’s, cold and rubbery - that wasn’t my brother," she said. She told him his actions would never be forgotten or forgiven, stating, "Murder is beyond forgiveness."
Justice Fox defended the sentence, explaining that the law mandates different considerations for child offenders, with youth and rehabilitation being primary factors, particularly for first-time offenders with no criminal history.
