Stab teen’s fate wait

Will mall attacker get jail or youth detention?

A TEENAGER who almost killed a man in a vicious daylight stabbing in central Geelong could be destined for an adult prison, despite fears that it may institutionalise him.

The 18-year-old appeared in custody at the County Court yesterday over the stabbing that occurred metres from the Moorabool St bus exchange on the afternoon of January 25 last year.

The attacker was aged 17 when he plunged a knife into the chest and groin of an 18year-old man near an entrance to Market Square Shopping Centre.

Previous court hearings have heard the unprovoked attack caused near-fatal injuries to the victim, who stumbled inside the shopping centre and collapsed in the vicinity of Degani Cafe.

The pair were known to each other and had clashed a year earlier while serving sentences at Parkville youth justice centre.

The assailant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been released on youth parole 11 days before the stabbing.

In November, he pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury.

He returned to court yesterday when it was revealed he had been assessed as unsuitable for youth detention, amid fears for the safety of others in the juvenile system due to his penchant for violence.

The court was told he had recently been sentenced in the Children’s Court over a vicious attack on prison staff while on remand for the stabbing.

Defence barrister Peta Smith urged the judge to use his discretion to sentence the teen to juvenile detention, despite Youth Justice’s unfavourable assessment.

She raised concerns that spending time with “hardened criminals” could prove detrimental.

“He is someone who is vulnerable, insecure and likely to be subjected to undesirable influences in adult prison,” Ms Smith said.

“I accept this is very serious offending and unfortunately he has a history of violent offending, (but) I would say his prospects of rehabilitation are good.”

She said the teenager had mental health issues and that she believed youth detention was better resourced to provide “more intensive” support than an adult jail.

Judge Gerard Mullaly said he needed more time to consider the submissions and adjourned sentencing until next month.