Gasps could be heard in the Victorian Supreme Court this morning as a man who was 16 when he repeatedly stabbed a much-loved Doncaster doctor was jailed for 17 years.
The man, who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time of the murder, will serve at least 12 years before he is eligible for parole.
Dr Ashley Gordon, 33, was killed after he chased a group of teenage boys who had broken into his home on January 13, 2024.
One of the boys stabbed him with a knife. The other three have been dealt with in the Children’s Court and have been given non-custodial sentences.
“If [he] had not had a knife, Dr Gordon would be alive,” Victorian Supreme Court Justice Amanda Fox said in sentencing.
“But instead, Dr Gordon lost his life.”
Ahead of his trial, the man pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary, but not guilty to murdering Dr Gordon.
Throughout the two-week trial, the man’s lawyers argued he was acting in self-defence.
But Justice Fox said she did not believe the then 16-year-old genuinely thought Dr Gordon would seriously hurt him.
“Dr Gordon was an innocent member of the public, he was only in the driveway on this night because you had broken into his house and stolen his belongings,” Justice Fox said.
“You knew that when you made the terrible choice to stab him multiple times rather than to let yourself be caught.”
Ashley Gordon with his father Glen and sister Natalie at a family wedding. (Supplied: Natalie Gordon)
‘A brutal attack’
In sentencing, Justice Fox told the court, the 16-year-old delivered 11 blows with a knife the length of a pen before Dr Gordon was kicked in the face by another boy.
“This was a brutal attack with a weapon on a barefoot, unarmed man who was only there at all because you had broken into his house,” Justice Fox said.
“And rather than surrender and allow yourself to be caught, you chose to stab him repeatedly.
“It is impossible to do justice to the extent of their heartbreak and devastation … the impact on the victims in this case has been truly profound.”
Outside court Dr Gordon’s father Glen Gordon said he was happy with the sentence, but believed it should have been more.
“My son has been murdered and he’s walking around in 12 years… we’ve still got our life sentence” Mr Gordon said.
Throughout the sentencing, the man sat expressionless, while Dr Gordon’s family cried.
Since Dr Gordon’s murder, his family have advocated for tougher bail laws, often using the phrase, “adult crime, adult time”.
Hundreds of mourners turned out to farewell Ash Gordon. (ABC News)
‘We never gave up’
Dr Gordon grew up in the Latrobe Valley.Â
About 700 mourners crowded into the valley’s biggest venue to attend his funeral.
His older sister, Natalie Gordon, told the ABC the sentence was a huge relief.
“It’s like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders, we’re relieved that it was more than what we were expecting,” Ms Gordon said.
In the trial’s openings, the man’s defence barrister told the jury the trial was not a time to be making political stances about being tough on youth crime, or knife crime.
“We never gave up on fighting for Ashley,” Ms Gordon said.