‘Benzos’ bandit who threatened to cut Crib Point servo boss jailed
A Crib Point knife-wielding ice junkie who took prescription pills to help with withdrawal symptoms lost the plot — and now he’s lost his liberty.
South East
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A “benzos” bandit high on prescription medication who threatened to kill a Crib Point servo manager has been jailed.
Zachary William Gordon was in a drug-fuelled rage when he wielded a large hunting knife above his head while ranting that he was going to cut the innocent worker “into little pieces”.
The 35-year-old from Crib Point was sentenced at the online Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty in December to weapons, drugs, thefts, going equipped and threat charges.
The court heard on October 20 last year Gordon rode his pushbike to the servo and went inside.
He stuffed stolen fishing gear in his pockets and left.
But minutes later he returned, and waved a knife at the terrified manager while rambling that he was going to kill him.
He said “I’ll cut you into little pieces” and “I’ll see you at night time”, walked out and stood menacingly in the servo forecourt before getting on his BMX and pedalling off.
Police had been called and when they saw him riding his pushie down Stony Point Rd they gave chase.
He dropped the hunting knife and ran off on foot, but only got 20m before he was cornered and arrested.
A search of his bag uncovered a pocket knife, lock-picking tools, a small quantity of cannabis and two packets of prescription medication that was not in his name.
He was on bail and serving two community corrections orders, imposed for more drug and weapons offences, at the time.
He also admitted possessing a deal bag of ice when he was passenger in a car pulled over in Crib Point in May.
On his Facebook page he calls himself a “gangster” and displays multiple images of himself with guns and rifles.
His defence lawyer said Gordon had been taking Benzodiazepines, known as “benzos”, as a form of treatment to curb his ice addiction.
She said the self-medicating could lead to mood swings and mental blankness, and he couldn’t remember the knife incident.
Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said it was troubling that he had seven prior convictions for weapons-related offending and multiple other priors for violence.
“Your substance abuse increases your propensity for impulsive, aggressive and irrational behaviours,” Mr Lethbridge said.
“The time has come for you to plainly understand that your association with weapons and drugs has to stop.
“This was a serious example of offences on a vulnerable victim; you pose a risk, you are a clear danger to yourself and the community.”
Gordon was jailed for 15 months, minus 90 days he has already spent in custody.
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