Gladstone father Jayden Joseph Sadowski pleads guilty in Gladstone District Court to stabbing man

A Queensland teen who unleashed a “horrendously violent” attack on a man after receiving a Snapchat of his ex-girlfriend cut off his own finger during the melee. Full details.

Jayden Sadowski pleaded guilty to one count of wilful damage, one count of unlawfully doing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of occasioning bodily harm while in company, one count of burglary. Picture: Supplied

A Gladstone teen who stabbed a man multiple times and slashed his car tyres before his own finger was cut off told a court the attack happened after receiving a Snapchat of his ex-girlfriend being spanked.

Jayden Joseph Sadowski, 20, who became a father six weeks before his sentence date, was ordered to serve seven years imprisonment following a melee which a court heard could have killed the victim if it weren’t for medical intervention.

Sadowski was sentenced in the Gladstone District Court in late September to one count of acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed in company, one count of enter dwelling with intent at night, and two counts of wilful damage.

Jayden Sadowski pleaded guilty to one count of wilful damage, one count of unlawfully doing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of occasioning bodily harm while in company, one count of burglary. Picture: Supplied

The court heard that on June 12, 2021, then 19-year-old Sadowski attended an address in the Gladstone suburb of Clinton about 1am where the victim, a 21-year-old Gladstone man, was hosting a gathering with about eight others.

Sadowski, in the company of another, entered the backyard of the address before stabbing all four car tyres of the man’s Nissan Patrol utility.

Crown Prosecutor Michael Andronicus told the court that after entering the property Sadowski yelled “where the f--- is he” and “come on c---” before the man, who was known to Sadowski, went outside and asked what he was doing on his property.

Mr Andronicus said Sadowski then approached him aggressively before stabbing him in the shoulder with a knife.

The court heard the man fought back and punched Sadowski before he was stabbed by the alleged accomplice which resulted in him falling face down on the grass.

He then felt two knives enter his back.

After temporarily losing consciousness, the man stood up before he was thrown against a car by Sadowski and his accomplice and then repeatedly punched, kicked, and stomped on by the pair.

Sadowski then swung the knife towards the man, narrowly missing his face, which prompted the alleged accomplice to say “stop, you’re going to kill him.”

The court heard Sadowski and the other man followed the complainant inside and continued wrestling, punching, and stomping him before Sadowski was pulled away.

Sadowski then punched a wall and left the property with the other man.

Shortly after, an ambulance was called and the victim was taken to Gladstone Hospital where the extent of his injuries was examined.

The 21-year-old suffered two 4cm deep stab wounds in his back, a 1cm wound to the shoulder, a 3cm wound to the armpit, a 6cm wound to the forearm and superficial wounds to his face and body.

Mr Andronicus said medical records revealed the man suffered a tension pneumothorax which could have been fatal if left untreated.

The court heard police attended the Gladstone Hospital to question Sadowski after his right little finger was severed and he lied to medical staff telling them it was cut off in a fishing accident.

Defence barrister James Veivers told the court that on the night of the incident, his client had received a phone call about his ex-girlfriend attending the party and Sadowski’s initial reaction was that he did not care.

Mr Veievers said shortly after, photos were sent to Sadowski of his ex-girlfriend being “spanked on the buttocks” and that’s what prompted him to go there.

“He took offence to that, that’s the motive, there’s nothing else, pure and simple,” Mr Veivers said.

Sadowski was sentenced in the previous circuit of the Gladstone District Court in September 2022.

He said Sadowski had recently become a father, six weeks before his sentencing date, and while on parole worked hard for multiple businesses and relocated to Brisbane with his grandmother and partner.

Judge Michael Byrne said he had a number of things to grapple with in his sentencing, including the “dichotomy” of the facts before him and the character references and terrific work history provided by the defence.

“Your offending was described as horrendously violent, but I’m not sure that adequately describes it,” Judge Byrne said.

“You and another, and I’ll simply refer to them as another, as there is no proof against the person named at the moment but you accept you were with someone.

“It is unusual that for a man that at that point in time had no prior convictions at all that you would behave so violently.”

“You also did not come out of this melee unscathed, as at some point you severed the fifth finger on your right hand, I know that as I saw it when you were sitting there.”

Gladstone Court House. Courthouse.

Judge Byrne said while there was no evidence from the prosecution relating to a motive, he was willing to accept something had to have happened because it was “simply nonsensical” otherwise, and said the attack was clearly premeditated.

Judge Byrne exercised his discretion and did not make a serious violent offender declaration.

He sentenced Sadowski to seven years on the one count of acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, and lesser sentences to the other charges served concurrently. Parole eligibility was set at the halfway mark of the seven year sentence.