An Australian artist featured in a popular Netflix documentary has described the terrifying moment he was stabbed in the throat by his own cellmate while in custody.
A Pen Becomes a Weapon
Anthony Lister, 46, was awaiting court proceedings on sexual assault charges when the violent incident occurred. The acclaimed painter, whose work is owned by celebrities like Hugh Jackman and Pharrell Williams, told news.com.au he had given a pen to his cellmate, a '22-year-old pretty wild boy' from Mount Druitt in Sydney's west, hoping it would keep him occupied.
"I gave him a pen to entertain himself, hoping that he would get lost in some practice of drawing because I was writing a lot at the time," Lister explained. However, the gesture backfired horrifically. "Eventually he used that pen to stab me in the throat, with four other guys in the yard," he said.
Lister believes the injury was not deeper because he managed to catch the attacker's hand. The psychological aftermath was severe, compounded by having to spend the night back in the same cell. "You don't tell anybody these things happen because then worse things happen," he revealed, shedding light on the dangerous unwritten codes within the prison system.
Life Behind Bars: 'Chimpanzees in a Zoo'
Lister characterised his overall experience during his 83 days in custody as being akin to 'chimpanzees in a zoo'. He recounted disturbing episodes, including hearing inmates cheer as a sexual assault took place in a nearby cell. The constant anxiety extended to mundane activities, such as fearing repercussions for taking too long to use a communal microwave.
The artist reported suffering symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following his release, stating the ordeal had forever changed him.
Acquittal and Moving Forward
These shocking revelations come three months after Lister was found not guilty of the charges that led to his imprisonment. In 2020, at the height of his career buoyed by two film releases, his home was raided by heavily armed police. He was charged with sexually assaulting four women and indecently assaulting a fifth.
His exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery was swiftly cancelled. After a lengthy legal process, during which a suppression order concealed his identity, Lister was acquitted in November and December 2024 on all counts. He had vehemently denied the allegations, said to have occurred between 2015 and 2018.
Now, with the court orders lifted, Anthony Lister says he is focused on rebuilding his life and has returned to painting, working from a studio in Darlinghurst, in Sydney's CBD.
