Prisoner who brought shiv to jail cell fistfight sentenced over stabbing

Isaac John Gordon pleaded guilty to attacking a fellow inmate in Canberra’s jail. Photo: File.

While two prisoners arranged to meet up for a possible fistfight in jail, one surprised the other by bringing along a homemade shiv that he used to slash his opponent’s face.

Isaac John Gordon, aged in his mid-20s, was given an extra year behind bars for stabbing his fellow inmate when he was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court on Friday (29 October).

Justice Michael Elkaim said Gordon was an inmate at the Alexander Maconochie Centre with his future victim in 2019.

They agreed to meet up in a jail cell for a discussion, knowing it could descend into a fight.

On 5 December 2019, they met up in the cell but, unknown to the victim, Gordon brought a weapon with him – one fashioned from a toothbrush with two razor-like pieces of metal on one end.

Justice Elkaim said the victim tried to punch Gordon, who responded with “flourishes” of the weapon, slashing the victim in his face and hand.

The victim was taken to Canberra Hospital for treatment and was left with a prominent scar on his face and numbness to his hand.

Justice Elkaim said the meeting should have been at best a “fistfight or wrestle”.

Gordon, born in 1996, has ADHD and left school in Year 9, after which he met people who introduced him to drugs. He said he regretted his actions.

He was in jail because he had been sentenced for charges that included aggravated robbery and intentionally wounding. He had been given a non-parole period that was due to end in April 2022 for those crimes.

When it came to the prison assault, Gordon, a tall man wearing glasses with long brown hair tied in a topknot, pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm and possessing a prohibited item.

He was sentenced to two years and six months’ jail starting in April 2022, then suspended from April 2023. He then must enter a good behaviour order for three years.