‘Gangster’ high on benzos when he threatened to cut servo boss
A Crib Point ice junkie was taking meds to help him withdraw. But instead of aiding him, they turned him into an angry monster.
South East
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A knife-wielding wannabe gangster was off his head on “benzos” when he threatened to chop a Crib Point servo manager into little pieces, a court has heard.
Zachary William Gordon rambled in a rage as he waved a large hunting knife above his head before leaving a service station with stolen fishing gear stuffed in his pockets.
Minutes later he came back and threatened the terrified manager, saying “I’ll cut you into little pieces” and “I’ll see you at night time”.
The 35-year-old from Crib Point then walked out and stood menacingly in the servo forecourt before getting on his BMX and riding off.
Police had been called, and when they saw him riding his pushie down Stony Point Rd they gave chase.
He dropped the knife and ran off on foot but he 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 also admitted possessing a deal bag of ice when he was passenger in a car pulled over in Crib Point on May 10 this year.
Gordon pleaded guilty to weapons, drugs, thefts, going equipped and threat charges at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
He was on bail at the time of the October 20 incident.
On his Facebook page he calls himself a “gangster” and displays multiple images of himself with guns and rifles.
His defence lawyer said over the past few months 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 struggled to remember the knife incident.
She said he had already served 50 days on remand and submitted a small amount of jail followed by a community corrections order would be an appropriate penalty.
But magistrate Gerard Lethbridge did not agree.
He said the serious offending warranted a non-parole period as a just punishment, meaning at least 12 months behind bars.
“I think the circumstances of this offending, in particular assault with a weapon and threat to inflict serious injury, are extremely serious,” Mr Lethbridge said.
“It is a matter for the parole board for when he is released.”
Gordon was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on January 19.
