‘I didn’t know what I was doing’: Brett Matthew Murch sentenced after bringing knife into CommBank

A man with a history of carrying weapons has been sentenced after he brought a knife into a bank while acting erratically, a court has heard.

A man who brought a knife into a bank has avoided prison after the court heard his “erratic” behaviour was fuelled by a botched surgery that had turned septic.

Brett Matthew Murch, 48, told the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court he had no intention of walking around with the weapon and had unknowingly donned the jacket that had housed the hunting knife.

It wasn’t Murch’s first time before the courts as he was sentenced in April 2014 having originally been found guilty of the attempted murder of Leonard Gjeka at his Mount Barker home.

He was handed a 14 year and four month term of imprisonment with a non-parole period of nine years and four months.

However, following a successful appeal in June 2014, his convictions were quashed — with the DPP later dropping the charges.

Leonard Gjeka outside of court during Brett Matthew Murch trial. Gjeka was previously involved in the San Giorgio pizza bar shooting.

On April 26, police spotted Murch acting erratically “waving his arms” and yelling loudly along Bay Rd before entering the Commonwealth Bank.

Suspecting he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, police searched Murch finding a hunting knife as well as a small amount of cannabis and a cannabis pipe, the court heard.

Murch pleaded guilty to one count of carrying an offensive weapon and one count of disorderly conduct — he was not charged in relation to the illicit drugs or drug paraphernalia.

The Mount Gambier CommBank branch. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Speaking in his own defence, Murch said he was not under the influence of drugs and had been affected by a “botched” surgery on a burst ulcer.

“They (the hospital) released me and they got it wrong — I started going septic — my leg had turned black — I didn’t really know what I was doing,” he said.

“Three days later, after this event, I was rushed to the hospital and cut back open.”

Having previously been convicted of carrying an offensive weapon in 2020 Murch said he no longer carried weapons on him but had forgotten he had left the knife in his jacket that he wore fishing.

Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos said given the extenuating medical circumstance she was willing to show leniency.

Murch was handed a $200 12 month good behaviour bond with a conviction recorded.