Jarred Fitton jailed for lying to police about woman stabbed for hefty drug debt in Goulburn

A young man told police he knew nothing about a woman being stabbed in a Goulburn house during an argument over $7000 and the drug ice.

A young man has been jailed for lying to police when he knew a woman had been stabbed in the thigh in Goulburn over an outstanding drug debt.

Jarred Aaron Fitton, 22, appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to concealing information about a serious offence and custody of a knife.

The court heard the Goulburn man lied to police when he denied any knowledge of a woman being stabbed in the thigh in Goulburn on August 2 last year.

Court documents show the woman had begun selling ice for Goulburn drug dealer Gary Campbell in 2020 to feed her own habit. The facts show the woman agreed to buy a supply of drugs for Campbell from Wollongong with $7000 he’d provided, but instead the money was stolen.

Jarred Aaron Fitton has been jailed for lying when he knew a woman has been stabbed in the thigh over a hefty drug debt in Goulburn. Picture: Facebook

When the woman was brought to Campbell’s house in the middle of the night on August 2, court documents reveal the two began to loudly argue about the debt. According to the documents, Fitton was in another room at the time.

At Campbell’s urging, police facts show the co-accused Sharni North approached the woman and stabbed her in the thigh with a 8cm long yellow kitchen knife.

While the victim sat on a bed and bled all over the covers, the police facts allege Campbell encouraged North to hit her before he ordered her to be taken home.

The court heard Fitton drove the woman home while her thigh continued bleeding and dropped her off a block from her house. Police say she required five stitches for the bloody wound.

The court heard North pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm to the woman and Campbell pleaded guilty to reckless wounding in company, contributing to the activity of a criminal group, and a raft of drug supply charges. Both accused will appear in Goulburn District Court on November 1 to set a date for sentencing.

Fitton’s lawyer Sam Rowland said his client was merely a bystander for the stabbing.

“There is no suggestion he was involved in the serious indictable offence,” he told the court.

However, Magistrate Geraldine Beattie reminded the court Fitton had denied any knowledge of the stabbing when questioned by police, a denial that prolonged the investigation and inconvenienced a number of people.

Magistrate Beattie said it was clear Fitton knew about the stabbing.

“You were with the people, you were at the premises, you were at another house where the stabbing occurred. Afterwards, you were driving the victim home,” she said.

Magistrate Beattie told Fitton his concealment of that crucial information was not in the best interest of the community. She also noted Fitton had been granted bail and promptly breached his conditions on October 23 by being in a licenced venue and carrying a foldable knife, both of which were forbidden by his bail conditions.

Jarred Aaron Fitton appeared in Goulburn Court House on October 27. Picture: Craig Dunlop

The court heard Fitton did not show any remorse or contrition for the offences, despite his limited criminal history. Mr Rowland said his client was a regular user of meth and cannabis and had taken drugs at the time of the stabbing.

Due to the risk of Fitton breaching his bail conditions, Magistrate Beattie determined he should serve a term of imprisonment. She sentenced Fitton to 12 months in jail with an eight month non-parole period, which she backdated to his arrest.

As he’s already been in custody for eight months, during which time the court heard he’s been assaulted on numerous occasions, Fitton will be eligible for release immediately.

Magistrate Beattie also sentenced him to a nine-month community corrections order for having custody of a knife in a public place.

As he left the room, Fitton told the magistrate: “I hope I never see you again”.