Knight had clearly become a target of Duntroon Bastardisation by senior cadets of both his own Kokoda Company and of Kapyong Company – physical assaults, battery causing broken arms and nose, tormenting, ridicule, belittling excessive punishments (26+ penalty show parades), gang forced shaving, intimidation, etc, etc.
Knight, had not pre-assessed the consequences of him stabbing Reed at the nightclub.
These consequences being:
(A) The Army offence of his premeditated purchase of a flick knight, despite Knight justifying recently purchasing it for his own self-defence against senior cadets;
(B) Knight’s selected bodily attack location of Reed – (neck and head) and severity (depth, proximity to arteries, brain, vital tendons) of the three stabbing injuries on Reed which could have been deadly, else permanently disabling for Reed (physically/mentally);
(C) The predicable violent physical assault backlash by Reed’s gang mates against Knight – primarily by the senior cadets present at the nightclub and also by the other senior cadets of Kokoda Company;
(D) Duntroon’s standing orders prohibiting the possession or storage of any unauthorised weapon in the college grounds, such as in a cadet’s quarters in barracks;
(E) Duntroon’s actual indirect response to Knight’s off-site stabbing attack to instead trigger likely his imminent and immediate termination of his training at Duntroon by Duntroon military management and Knight’s forced resignation from the Australian Army for life (which is what it did quickly and methodically).
No investigation was undertaken by Duntroon into which senior cadets had vandalised Knight’s car
No financial compensation or repair arrangements to restore Knight’s car were made by Duntroon
Knight was thus forced to spend his own savings to have his car repaired. He had to spend about $1000, leaving his with few reserve funds. The current value of $1 Australian in 2025 is $3, so in today’s money the cost would be $3000. Knight had spent $5000 in 1987 to purchase his much prized Holden Torana V8 SL/R 5000 muscle car on a bank loan by being able to rely on his regular future income from the Army to repay the loan over time from his Army salary.
During the seven days that Knight was ordered on convalescent leave between 5th June after being interviewed by Duntroon DMA Colonel Earle at Duntroon, and Knight’s summoned court hearing at the ACT Magistrates Court on 12th June (1987), Knight remained in Canberra staying with relatives or friends. Knight, then following his second ordered interview with Colonel Earle (to consider Knight’s options) on 12 June; and then his third interview with Colonel Earle about’s Knight’s formal written (forced) decision to resign from Duntroon and the Australian Army, Knight was ordered on extended convalescent leave until 2 July.
He drove his car from Canberra to Melbourne and return (a distance of more than 1300 km). That fuel cost would have used up most of his reserve savings, although he was still on the Duntroon payroll.
Duntroon swept under the carpet the car vandalising offence. It was not documented in the Prosecution’s case against Knight, nor was the senior cadets’ tormenting behaviour, physical attacks on Knight and multiple sexual assaults of Knight’s girlfriend at the nightclub.
Despite the nightclub stabbing incident being a civilian criminal matter off campus, it had only involved Duntroon cadets. Yet, Duntroon did not investigate the stabbing incident in any way into what led to Knight’s stabbing of Reed. In addition, Duntroon did not asks questions of Knight about the incident. Duntroon did not use the stabbing incident explicitly in its ‘Show Cause’ termination process. No senior cadets were disciplined by Duntroon for their tormenting behaviour, physical attacks on Knight (left broken left arm, broken nose, lacerated right hand finger resulting from Knight’s flick knife attack on Reed) and multiple sexual assaults of Knight’s girlfriend. This is despite evidence available.
(further content is pending)