Shane Cedric Ross in court for grievous bodily harm at Emerald

A man received an 8cm wound after a prison rioter on parole and high on drugs attacked him with a kitchen knife. The stabber’s lawyer told a court why he became involved in the huge brawl.

Shane Cedric Ross.

A Central Queensland prison rioter on parole stabbed a stranger in the face while high on drugs after stumbling across a brawl involving more than 40 people outside a pub.

The Rockhampton District Court heard Shane Cedric Ross, 29, was walking the streets of Emerald in the early hours of July 3, 2022 when he came across a brawl involving about 40 to 50 people outside The Irish Village on Clermont St.

Crown prosecutor Clayton Wallis said Ross came up behind a stranger involved in the brawl and stabbed him in the face with a kitchen knife.

Mr Wallis said that man had become involved in the brawl after he saw his stepdaughter assaulted by another woman and tried to intervene.

The court heard two brothers who were friends with the Ross’s victim then intervened and were challenged by Ross, who slashed at one of them with his knife before throwing it at them.

The knife was retrieved and later found to have Ross and the victim’s DNA on it.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the victim suffered a deep wound that was 8cm long and ran through his left cheek to his mouth.

“There will be longtime scaring,” he said.

Mr Wallis said Ross committed the offence while on parole after he was released from custody in February 2022.

Capricornia Correctional Centre, north of Rockhampton.

He said while in custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre, Ross participated in an 18-hour riot on October 21, 2021 that involved 100 prisoners and caused about $1.2 million worth of damage.

The court heard Ross had been sentenced on October 8, 2021 to three years prison for robbery in company with personal violence.

During the riot, Ross broke out of the residential unit sometime after midday after other inmates damaged the fences and doors.

Mr Wallis said Ross was seen on the roof of the activities building holding a bottle of petrol and talking with other inmates.

Damage caused to the Capricornia Correctional Centre during the October 2021 riots.

He said Ross tried to conceal his identity but was recognisable because he was wearing a knee brace.

Ross surrendered at 6.30pm.

Mr Wallis said the offending before the court was “quite serious”.

“It bespeaks a man who has a general problem with anger and a persistent problem with anger,” he said.

Damage caused to the Capricornia Correctional Centre during the October 2021 riots.

He said Ross had been remanded in custody for 575 days.

Defence barrister Julie Marsden said her client, who had fathered two children, “felt some peer pressure to be involved (in the riot) when he was challenged by other individuals”.

Ms Marsden said her client was affected by drugs at the time he committed the grievous bodily harm and assault offences.

She said he had been at the clubs in Emerald and was walking to his home nearby when he became involved in the street fight.

“He has enemies in Emerald,” Ms Marsden said.

“When he is using drugs he becomes paranoid about those things.

“At the time of this incident, paranoia and those enemies he has created played on his mind.

“He wants to get away from Emerald and have a fresh start.”

She said her client had been seeing a counsellor and was addressing his childhood trauma and in particular the issues of violence and anger management.

Ross pleaded guilty on January 30 to one count of riot and grievous bodily harm, and two counts of common assault.

Judge Clarke sentenced Ross to five years and six months prison with parole eligibility on July 4, 2024.

Originally published as Shane Cedric Ross in court for grievous bodily harm at Emerald