Atem Gak Atem, 27, has been handed a four-year jail sentence by the ACT Supreme Court. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to sexual assault.
In view of his victim’s mother, a convicted sex offender repeatedly stabbed a young man as he lay on the ground in a savage attack that almost ended his life.
Atem Gak Atem, 27, was given a four-year jail sentence in the ACT Supreme Court after a judge said it was “fairly obvious there must be a sentence of imprisonment”.
A refugee from South Sudan who moved to Australia when he was about 11-years-old, Atem had been cared for occasionally by his future victim and the victim’s mother.
But on 23 August 2024, he went to their home in Belconnen and smashed some windows.
When the victim went out to investigate, he saw Atem was carrying a knife, so he picked up a brick.
They got into a scuffle, during which the victim dropped the brick, before Atem started repeatedly stabbing him continuing after he fell to the ground.
The stabbing was in broad daylight and took place in front of a number of the victim’s neighbours.
Atem also threatened the victim’s mother with the knife before he was driven away by an onlooker.
Police arrested him at a homeless shelter in north Canberra about five days later.
Meanwhile, the victim had been stabbed four times in the chest and abdominal area and was rushed to hospital with cuts to his lung and liver as well as a fractured rib and bruises.
His injuries were life-threatening and he needed emergency surgery, for which he required three units of blood. He remained in hospital for six days.
“Since the assault, I have been plagued by a persistent sense of fear and vulnerability,” the victim wrote in a statement.
“Daily tasks became painful and burdensome.”
A medical officer reported the victim would most likely have died if he didn’t receive urgent medical treatment, the prosecutor told the court during Atem’s sentencing on Tuesday (15 July).
The attack “essentially came out of the blue”, the prosecutor said.
Atem pleaded guilty to intentionally inflict grievous bodily harm. He also wanted the charges of damaging property and making a threat to inflict grievous bodily harm to be taken into account on sentencing.
His defence lawyer, Georgia Le Couteur of Legal Aid, said he reported his father tried to shield him from trauma in South Sudan before they fled to Australia.
Atem worked in hospitality after he dropped out of school in Year 10 and used to send money to support his mother as she remained in Sudan, the lawyer said.
Ms Le Couteur said her client had admitted using cannabis and the drug ‘speed’ sometime before the stabbing.
Acting Justice Michael Elkaim noted the persistence of the stabbing, including after the victim fell to the ground, as well as the absence of a motive for the attack and how Atem hadn’t cooperated with the author of a pre-sentence report.
He also noted how Atem was convicted for sexual assault and stalking in Queensland in 2023.
Atem was handed a non-parole period of two years and five months’ jail backdated to take into account time in custody, which means he is eligible to be released in January 2027.
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on (02) 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT on (02) 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple zero.
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