A Gwynneville teenager accused of slicing open another man’s neck in a bloody, unprovoked attack outside the Wiseman Park Bowling Club has been refused bail in court.
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Police allege a highly intoxicated Oskar Calvi used a smashed beer bottle to stab the man in the throat during a night out with friend and co-accused, Christopher Anderson, on June 24.
The victim, who spent the moments after the attack picking bits of brown glass out of the wound, was taken to hospital where he required immediate surgery.
Police said it was sheer ‘‘good luck’’ the man was still alive after being told by his treating doctors that the glass had missed his jugular vein by a millimetre.
‘‘Had that vein been cut, [the victim] would almost certainly have died before getting to hospital,’’ police said in a statement provided to Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday.
Court documents said the 23-year-old victim and his friend had been walking towards the Caltex service station on the corner of Foley and Gipps streets when they allegedly encountered Calvi, 18, and Anderson, 23, both of whom appeared very drunk.
The victim and his friend, who was walking with a pushbike, moved to the side of the footpath to allow the men to pass, however it is alleged Anderson feigned being struck by the bicycle in an attempt to incite an altercation.
Anderson’s alleged behaviour prompted the victim’s friend to ask if he was okay, to which Anderson allegedly replied: ‘‘What? Do you want to go c---?’’ and began shaping up for a fight.
It is alleged Calvi initially pulled his friend away from the two men, however then spun around and advanced on the unsuspecting pair, telling them to either fight or run away.
When the victim’s friend threatened to call police, Calvi and Anderson allegedly chased after the pair, catching up with the victim, who was still on foot.
‘‘I don’t want to fight... go, turn around... just go, nothing has to happen,’’ the victim allegedly told both men moments before he was grabbed and punched.
The victim told police he heard the sound of glass breaking but didn’t know what it was.
It is alleged Calvi then grabbed hold of the victim and swung his right hand at the man’s neck twice, striking him near the ear.
The victim said he felt blood running down the side of his head and allegedly heard Anderson say to Calvi ‘‘come on mate, we gotta go, you just stabbed him’’.
The victim made his way to the bowling club where he was helped by members of the public, who contacted emergency services.
The court heard a witness to the incident had provided a statement largely corroborating the victim’s version of events.
Both Calvi and Anderson were charged with one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
In seeking bail for his client on Wednesday, defence solicitor Ross Hudson said Calvi’s family could provide a $10,000 cash surety, and a secure address at a home on the Central Coast, far away from the victim, if he was released into their care.
Calvi also agreed to abide by any other bail conditions imposed by the court.
Prosecution lawyers opposed Calvi’s release, saying there was a high likelihood Calvi would be jailed if convicted.
In refusing bail, Magistrate Michael Stoddart said he did not believe there were any conditions that could be imposed to mitigate the risk Calvi posed to the safety of the community if he was released.
The case will return to court in October.
