Braith Knack pleads guilty to stabbing inmate at Queensland jail

Phone calls between a young Sunshine Coast man and his mum have revealed how the detainee had no other choice but to shiv another inmate with a large piece of metal.

Braith Karl Knack was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court in December last year.

A young Sunshine Coast man has revealed why he stabbed another inmate twice inside a Queensland jail.

Braith Karl Knack was on remand at a correctional centre on November 30, 2023 when he and another detainee agreed to fight, ending in the brutal wounding.

In recently published decision remarks by Judge Philip McCarthy, the court was told the 20-year-old met in the middle of a walkway between prison units with his 25-year-old victim where their fight erupted.

Court documents state during the altercation, Knack was armed with a 10cm long piece of metal which he used to stab the 25-year-old twice around the torso.

The victim tried to hit Knack however the 20-year-old fought back. The pair separated to their units, where Knack flushed his weapon down the toilet.

Judge McCarthy said prison officers found a trail a blood behind the victim as he walked back to his cell. He told them he fell on a fence.

Knack stabbed the man in a custodial environment.

As he was being removed from his cell he collapsed.

Judge McCarthy noted within jail, “people do not want to nominate the author of their particular offence”.

When the victim collapsed, the officers found there were stab wounds, which were considered not grievous as both wounds only required cleaning and stitching at the hospital.

A review of the prison’s closed circuit television showed the fight.

It was analysis of Knack’s prison phone calls to his mum that revealed the lead-up to the wounding.

“It’s not good. I’ve got to do something today,” Knack said to his mother on the phone.

“I have to sort old mate out on the walkway this afternoon.”

He was a detainee at the time.

Judge McCarthy said Knack told his mum he had to “do worse than smash him” and how he simply “had to”.

In repeated calls, the court was told Knack’s mother advised against it and said there would be serious consequences.

Court documents state Knack made frank admissions to investigators about stabbing the man, about their agreement to fight and how he had been “pressured into doing it” by another inmate.

The court was told if he refused, he would be bashed. He was also given the weapon by another inmate.

Judge McCarthy said it would be naive of him to just tell someone to stand up to other prisoners, given what the custodial environment was like, but still said it is what he should have done.

“There are good men and women who work in the prison system that are regularly exposed to danger,” the District Court Judge said.

“Prisoners that arm themselves and get involved in violent altercations place each other at risk, but also place Corrective Services officers and prison officers at risk.

“I would well appreciate that causes considerable anxiety to their families when they watch their loved ones go to work each day.”

Judge McCarthy took into account Knack’s age, his rehabilitation and how the 20-year-old had work lined up after his release from custody.

Knack pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and was sentenced to 14 months’ jail with a parole eligibility date set at December 12 last year, the day of the sentence hearing.

Originally published as Braith Knack pleads guilty to stabbing inmate at Queensland jail