Jayden Barreto: Man guilty of Petrie stabbing of housemate

A young Moreton Bay man has pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and wounding following a frightful melee at a private residence.

A young Moreton Bay man stabbed his former housemate and school friend four times, puncturing his lung, following a dispute after the relationship soured, a court has heard.

Eatons Hill man Jayden Michael Barreto, 23, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Wednesday to counts of grievous bodily harm and unlawful wounding.

The offences were committed at Barreto’s temporary residence at Petrie on June 13 last year, an address at which his victim, Jake Moore, also used to live.

The court heard Barreto and Mr Moore attended the same school together and while they were not especially close, they became associated with each other in their late teens.

The relationship between the pair soured and it led to Mr Moore moving out, with the stabbing occurring after Mr Moore and his father returned to the address to collect property.

Crown prosecutor Michael Connolly told the court that after Mr Moore and his father were greeted at the door by Barreto, there became an immediate confrontation, at which point Barreto grabbed a knife and stabbed Mr Moore twice in the back, puncturing his lung, and twice in the leg.

Eatons Hill man Jayden Michael Barreto, 23. Picture: Facebook

Police were dispatched to the address by concerned neighbours, where they discovered Barreto hiding in the loft.

He denied stabbing Mr Moore, but when asked whether his victim was injured, he told police, “I hope so”.

Barreto was initially charged with attempted murder but this was ultimately downgraded.

Defence counsel James Godbolt told the court his client was “never on the front foot” during the confrontation and submitted that Barreto was punched in the face first, resulting in a black eye.

He further noted the stab wounds to Mr Moore’s leg occurred in the context of Barreto being knocked to the ground during the melee.

Mr Godbolt said his client did not have stable work or living arrangements when he committed the offences, and was furthermore addicted to dangerous drugs.

“This has been a wakeup call,” Mr Godbolt said.

“My client has changed the course of his life”.

Barreto was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with parole release set at September 8, 2022.