While being held on remand at Shortland correctional centre,near Cessnock,he allegedly attempted to murder another inmate by slashing his throat with a razor. Pettiford was then moved to Goulburn's high risk management unit.
According to police facts,while at Goulburn Pettiford fashioned a makeshift weapon using a plastic ring and four razor blades,which he hid in his genital area until a Corrective Services officer was doing the lunch rounds on March 9.
As the officer passed the food through the door,Pettiford reached out and slashed him on his right arm.
When police arrived,they interviewed Pettiford through the locked cell door,where he said he"had a bit of fun"and gave the officer"a little bit of a cut". He laughed when he was told the man was injured.
Pettiford said he had"wanted to do it since day two"and told police he"bludgers[sic] people to death and that he is just getting started". He was described by police as being"an extreme risk to the community".
On Wednesday,Magistrate Geraldine Beattie jailed Pettiford in Goulburn Local Court for 18 months with a non-parole period of 12 months. He had pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer inflicting actual bodily harm.
Pettiford's lawyer Tracey Annan told the court her client has experienced a"diverse range of mental illnesses"since he was five-years-old,and when he is not medicated he has"quite severe mania"which means he can't control certain urges.