A teenage burglar who fatally stabbed a doctor after breaking into his house twice has been found guilty of his murder.
The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of murdering GP Ash Gordon by a Victorian Supreme Court jury today.
He had confessed to two charges of aggravated burglary after breaking into Dr. Gordon’s Doncaster residence while he and his housemate slept in the early hours of January 13, 2024.
The boy showed no emotion standing in the dock as the jury foreperson delivered the verdict while his victim’s family broke into tears.
The teenager, along with another boy, had gone to a house party the night before and noticed Dr. Gordon’s Mercedes-Benz in his garage, prompting a discussion about taking the car, according to prosecutor Kristie Churchill.
Shortly after 4 am, the accused, accompanied by another teen, approached the house, entered through a slightly open garage door, and stole items including shoes, headphones, laptops, a wallet, and silver necklaces belonging to the victim.
Returning to their friend’s house, the boys “boasted about things they stole” and planned to return for the car.
Four teenagers donning gloves, balaclavas, face masks and hats broke in a second time, but they didn’t go undetected, with the doctor catching them inside his home before chasing the teens out onto the street.
Gordon got into his car and began chasing three teens until they ended up in a nearby carport.
As the 33-year-old got out and attempted to restrain the then-16-year-old, telling him the “cops were on the way”, the boy revealed a knife and inflicted 11 sharp injuries, stabbing the doctor six times and left the victim dying on the ground.
The two other boys, who had earlier jumped a fence, returned after the accused yelled for help before one allegedly kicked Gordon in the face so forcefully that his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
The boys fled and burned their clothing before meeting up the day after when they discussed fleeing the country and not to snitch. The accused was arrested three days after the stabbing.
Defence barrister Amelia Beech told the jury the teen admitted stabbing Gordon causing his death but denied intending to kill or cause serious injury, arguing he was acting in self-defence.
The teen gave evidence during his trial, saying he thought Gordon tried to kill him with his car, and continued advancing at him in the carport even when he pulled out the knife and said “I don’t want to do this”.
“It didn’t seem to faze him at all,” the boy told the jury.
The jury of 12 took two days to come to its verdict.
