Mark Ludbrook has received a 19-year prison sentence following the fatal stabbing of his friend, Autumn Baker, in 2023. The court was informed that Ludbrook had consumed a synthetic drug called PCE, which led to erratic behavior, culminating in the tragic incident when Baker attempted to check on him.
Ludbrook is mandated to serve a minimum of 14 years, and with time already served, he may be eligible for parole as early as June 2038.
In a case deemed “most unusual” by the presiding judge, Mark Ludbrook fatally attacked Autumn Baker in his residence located in Hoppers Crossing on August 3, 2023. On Thursday, Justice James Gorton delivered the 19-year sentence, stipulating that Ludbrook must spend at least 14 years in prison before he can apply for parole.
The court learned that Ludbrook had been using illegally acquired ketamine to manage chronic pain caused by transverse myelitis, a rare neurological condition that requires him to use a wheelchair. Instead of ketamine, Ludbrook was sold PCE by his dealer, who misrepresented it as a “new” form of ketamine.
Justice Gorton noted that Ludbrook consumed a “double dose” of PCE, which significantly altered his behavior on the day of the incident. As his carer, Amber Davison, observed, he exhibited bizarre conduct, such as removing his clothes, expressing gratitude towards colors, and engaging with plants in his backyard.
When Baker arrived at the house, she shared a cup of tea with Davison before Ludbrook retrieved a steak knife from the kitchen and went to his bedroom. Concerned about his safety, the women followed him, attempting to intervene when he stabbed himself twice in the abdomen. Tragically, he then turned the knife on Baker, fatally wounding her.
Davison, in distress, contacted the police, who apprehended Ludbrook in the backyard. Justice Gorton remarked on Ludbrook’s incoherent speech patterns during the incident, stating, “You were saying letters and words that made no sense in the context of what was happening.”
The judge emphasized that the self-intoxication defense presented by Ludbrook, who pleaded not guilty on the grounds of lack of intent, was insufficient. A jury found him guilty of murder, rejecting the argument that his actions were involuntary due to drug use.
During the sentencing hearing, numerous friends and family members of Baker were present in the Supreme Court, while Ludbrook appeared via video link from a specialized medical unit in Port Phillip Prison. Justice Gorton described the case as “most unusual,” highlighting that Ludbrook’s actions were “entirely inexplicable.” However, he reiterated that drug use does not excuse violent behavior, stating, “It is simply not acceptable to engage in violence even when under the influence of illicit drugs.”
In determining the sentence, the judge considered Ludbrook’s lack of prior criminal history and the challenges he would face in prison due to his disability. With time served, he could potentially be released on parole in June 2038.
