Peter Knight (murderer)

Knight was one of six children born into a Roman Catholic family in , New South Wales. Later, he led a hermit's life in the years leading up to the incident in a bush camp in the Killanbutta State Forest near , "off the grid" without a telephone or electricity. He did, however, frequently attend anti-abortion rallies in Sydney and Melbourne. Knight was also opposed to smoking, smokers, tobacco companies, and the taking of oaths. ==Murder==

On 16 July 2001, Knight walked into the East Melbourne Fertility Clinic, a private abortion provider, carrying a rifle and other weapons, including of kerosene, three lighters, torches, 30 gags, and a handwritten note that read "We regret to advise that as a result of a fatal accident involving some members of staff, we have been forced to cancel all appointments today". He developed homemade mouth gags and door jambs to restrain all patients and staff inside a clinic while he doused them with the kerosene. Knight later stated that he intended to massacre the 15 staff and 26 patients at the clinic and attack all Melbourne abortion clinics. Once inside, he shot 44-year-old Stephen Gordon Rogers, a security guard, in the chest, killing him while clients and staff soon overpowered him. == Legal proceedings ==

For many weeks after his arrest, Knight refused to answer questions or cooperate with police investigations. Due to his isolated life, Victorian Police were unable to confirm his identity After choosing to not obtain legal representation, and, on 19 November 2002, he was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of 23 years. He is currently serving time in HM Prison Barwon, near Geelong. ==See also==