'Absolutely dumbfounded': Stabbing victim at a loss as attacker walks free

A teen convicted of stabbing an Army veteran in Queensland is this morning back in the community after walking free from court.

A judge heard the teen was remorseful and ashamed after spending three months behind bars, but the moment he left court, the teen was filmed abusing members of the media.

His victim, Chris Sanders, could see the teen's behaviour standing before the magistrate and said he knew he had no remorse.

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"In the courthouse yesterday, the way he was stretching and flexing, he looked like everyone there was just taking up his time," Chris told Today.

"He just had no remorse whatsoever and once we got out on the street, it was the same thing again."

The teen was sentenced yesterday after he attacked Sanders in December 2023.

Sanders and his wife had just got some groceries at Alexandra Hills Shopping Centre and were driving out of the parking lot when they saw a group of five teens loitering.

As they carefully drove past, one of the teens kicked and punched Sanders' car.

Sanders stopped his car and his wife pleaded with him not to get out.

"I didn't, I put the window down and asked him 'what was that for, mate?'" he said.

"He said, 'you're in my way, old man' and I thought, 'how am I in your way, mate? I'm on a road.'"

Sanders turned his car around, but the teen again started approaching it, so this time - he decided he needed to get out.

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Sanders started walking towards the teen, while his mates relentlessly kicked and punched him in the back.

He managed to defend himself as best he could despite niggling injuries to his legs and back, but decided to return to the shopping centre to get security.

"As I've gone to take off, my right leg did give way and I fell over," Sanders said.

"He had a knife and slashed me on the back of the leg, once on the stomach and then ended up putting the blade inside my left hand side."

The blade was less than two centimetres from Sanders' heart, but it pierced his left lung, causing it to fill with blood and collapse.

He is still recovering from his injuries and now his attacker is back on the streets, given just 15 months probation.

"I'm dumbfounded, absolutely lost for words," he said.

"I could not believe what I was hearing from the judge he could be good back out in the in the community, but he obviously didn't use his time behind bars wisely after seeing how he behaved with the media yesterday."

Hear more from Chris in the video above