An argument between two workers at a Woonona telecommunications site ended with one hospitalised with a stab wound and the other facing criminal charges, a court has heard.
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Filipino man Enrique Moreno used his Leatherman work tool to stab his male colleague in the forearm on September 6 last year, after the two fought over an issue that had arisen at the York Street worksite.
Moreno faced Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday on a single charge of reckless wounding stemming from the incident.
His lawyer entered a plea of guilty to the charge on Moreno’s behalf.
Police documents tendered to the court said Moreno, in Australia on a working visa, had been assigned to work at the site with the victim for the afternoon.
Shortly after their 5pm start, a technical problem arose at the site, prompting one of the men to call a supervisor for advice.
The supervisor told the pair to return home, however the court heard the two workers soon got into an argument when Moreno refused to leave, believing he could fix the problem.
The pair got into their vehicle but continued to argue, with the victim eventually telling Moreno to ‘‘f--- off’’, prompting Moreno to punch him in the face.
Moreno then got out of the passenger seat and walked around to the driver’s side of the car and stabbed the other man in the right forearm.
The victim, unaware he’d been wounded, continued to scuffle with Moreno until he realised he was bleeding.
Moreno then drove the victim to Bulli Hospital, where he was eventually arrested by police.
The victim was transferred to Wollongong Hospital and required surgery on his forearm and stitches in a lacerated ear.
Moreno was taken to Wollongong Police Station and interviewed before being released on conditional bail.
He will be sentenced on June 18.