What’s next for teens charged over Doncaster doctor Ash Gordon’s murder

As two boys face murder charges for allegedly stabbing a young Doncaster doctor to death after a home invasion, here’s how legal proceedings will unfold.

Two teenage boys are facing murder charges over the alleged stabbing death of young Doncaster doctor Ash Gordon after a botched home invasion.

This is how legal proceedings could unfold from here.

Homicide squad detectives arrested the two boys, both aged 16, on Wednesday before interviewing them about Dr Gordon’s death on Saturday morning.

As a result, the pair were each charged with murder, aggravated burglary and theft.

The boys faced a brief administrative proceeding known as a filing hearing in a children’s court on Thursday which is the first step in the judicial process.

Due to their ages, their case will initially be dealt with in a children’s court rather than a magistrates’ court. Picture: AAP

In a filing hearing, a date is set for a brief of evidence to be prepared and custody management issues, such as health issues, will be dealt with.

Due to their ages, their case will initially be dealt with in a children’s court rather than a magistrates’ court.

The teens’ young age also means that identifying details, such as their names and the suburb they live in, are kept secret from the public.

If they apply for bail, the application will have to be heard in the Supreme Court due to the seriousness of the charges.

The next court appearance will be a committal mention which is a preliminary hearing before a full committal hearing.

Ash Gordon died after allegedly being stabbed in the wake of a botched home invasion. Picture: Supplied

Prior to the hearing, the defence will receive an evidence brief that will include copies of witness statements and exhibits such as photos, CCTV or forensics.

If the boys contest the charges, it will likely take several months before they face a committal hearing where the police case will be tested for the first time.

Witnesses can be called to give evidence and cross-examined at committal hearings by both the prosecution and defence, and it is the often the first time details of the case are aired in open court.

If the magistrate finds there is enough evidence upon which a jury could convict, the boys will be committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court as the children’s court cannot hear homicides cases due to the seriousness of the offences.

It could take years before the pair face trial due to court backlogs and complexity of murder cases.

If convicted, the teens would likely receive a significantly shorter sentence than if they were adults.

In September 2023, a group of teen killers were jailed over the ‘frenzied’ stabbing death of 16-year-old Declan Cutler.

A small number of children have been convicted of homicide offences in recent years in Victoria.

In September last year, a group of teen killers were jailed over the “frenzied” stabbing death of 16-year-old Declan Cutler as he left a house party in March 2022.

One boy, 16, was convicted of murder and sentenced to a minimum 10 years behind bars over the violence which left Declan with more than 50 stab wounds.

An 18-year-old, who was 16 at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in youth detention.

A third teen was ordered to spend three and a half years in youth detention.

Solomone Taufeulungaki, 15, was fatally stabbed in the heart after being set upon by a gang of 10 youths.

In a separate case, Solomone Taufeulungaki, 15, was fatally stabbed in the heart after being set upon by a gang of 10 youths.

One teen, who was 15 at the time of the attack, was sentenced to just two years in youth detention for manslaughter and could be released this year.

The 17-year-old killer of Jason Langhans pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to a maximum of six years behind bars for bashing Langhans, also 17, to death with a screwdriver in March 2021.