Jay Curtis-Hodge, 40, will spend at least another month in custody over the incident, after being in jail since March 2024. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
A man who tried to stab another man in a Canberra kitchen because of an assault allegation will stay in custody.
In May 2024, Jay Curtis-Hodge was at an affordable and specialist housing complex in central Canberra when the victim came into the kitchen for a glass of water.
He struck the other man three times in his mouth, before picking up a kitchen knife.
Curtis-Hodge tried to stab the victim in his throat and stomach, but instead cut his hand when he tried to block the attacks.
The attack ended when the victim’s nephew came into the room. He took a photo of Curtis-Hodge and the police were called, resulting in Curtis-Hodge’s arrest.
Curtis-Hodge faced the ACT Supreme Court on Friday (12 September) for sentencing on one charge of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm and one of assault causing actual bodily harm.
A charge of attempted murder had previously been withdrawn.
Justice Belinda Baker said the now-40-year-old’s behaviour was worrying.
“[The offending] are each serious instances of these offences.”
Following the attack, the victim was left bleeding from his nose and lip, and also had a laceration to his hand and the inside of his lip.
The court heard that a doctor believed he would likely have a permanent scar and potentially ongoing pain from the laceration to his hand.
During interviews with court report authors, Curtis-Hodge would say he had reacted to a claim the victim allegedly assaulted someone he knew.
He also told police the victim had cut himself with the knife, and said he was “full of s–t”.
The court also heard that, several weeks after the offending, a woman went to police and alleged there had been an incident between herself and the victim.
The prosecution argued the attack was premeditated, that Curtis-Hodge had shown limited remorse for his actions in his comments to police and that he was motivated by “vigilante justice” to defend the person known to him.
Justice Baker accepted that his disadvantaged early life meant his moral culpability was lessened.
Curtis-Hodge’s lawyer had told the court that her client was motivated by this personal history, which meant he reacted differently to the situation than the average person.
The court heard that Curtis-Hodge was born in NSW, had a traumatic childhood and had started using substances to self-medicate.
His lawyer also said that later statements he made, in which he said he regretted how the situation had developed, showed his remorse.
“The statements indicate the offender has developed significant insight into his offending,” she said.
Justice Baker said concerns remained about his rehabilitative prospects, given his previous drug use and criminal history.
“The offender consumed alcohol as a teenager, which continued into his early adulthood.
“Since that time, illicit substances have become his primary concern.”
She also that while Curtis-Hodge had expressed “general” plans about how he’d change his life, including contacting rehabilitation services, there was “no proposed structure” in place for how change would happen.
Justice Baker also imposed suspended sentences from past offending, and said there needed to be full-time imprisonment for the March 2024 offending.
It means Curtis-Hodge’s sentence will finish in October 2026, while his non-parole period will expire next month.
This sentence was backdated to April to account for time already spent in custody. Justice Baker also gave him a discount for his guilty pleas.
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