A 24-year-old Ballarat man has pleaded guilty to stabbing a five-year-old girl at Mitchell Park last year.
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In the County Court in Ballarat on Monday, Ty Ranger pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally causing serious injury and one count of possessing child pornography.
Judge Roy Punshon said he was aware Ranger had been in custody for almost a year, but could not proceed with the case until receiving psychiatric reports about why the offending occurred and if there was a risk Ranger could re-offend.
He also asked the defence team for reports on how Ranger, who has cerebral palsy, was coping in prison.
“This is alarming behaviour and I would have grave concerns about the danger Mr Ranger presents,” Justice Punshon said.
“My starting position would be that he presents a very great danger... because this is such an alarming crime.”
Mr Ranger has been in custody at a special unit at Port Phillip Prison since the incident on November 22 last year.
Justice Punshon also expressed concern that the crime, which saw the then five-year-old girl stabbed multiple times to the chest and abdomen, may have a sexual aspect given the child pornography charge.
However, defence barrister Ellen Murphy said the two were not necessarily connected.
“Mr Ranger clearly had a very serious problem with excessive drinking,” she said.
“He was drinking in excess in the days leading up to and on the day of the offending.
“He also appears to have a problem with anger that's exacerbated when he's been drinking.”
Prosecution barrister Charlotte Duckett said the child pornography had been downloaded “some months” prior to the stabbing.
Justice Punshon said given Ranger’s condition and background, the case was “not an easy sentencing problem”.
“Why did this occur? I know there’s a psychiatric report but it does not address this issue,” he said.
“It does address Mr Ranger’s intellectual capacity. His intellect appears to be normal.
“It addresses questions such as him suffering post traumatic stress disorder, depression and so on.
“But the real question seems to me...why did this happen and what is the risk of it occurring again?”
Justice Punshon adjourned until February 10 for mention in Melbourne, pending a forensic psychiatric report.
At that time, a date will be fixed to complete the plea hearing in Ballarat.
