A man repeatedly slashed with a knife during an altercation at a Wollongong unit block on Wednesday night has undergone surgery to reconnect his partially severed arm, a court has heard.
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The 50-year-old victim was with a female resident at the Kembla Street complex when he and another resident, former Australian Defence Force soldier Robert Kevin Ennew, got into a heated argument at the front of the premises.
It is alleged Ennew, 36, grabbed a knife he had tied around his neck and stabbed the man multiple times in the arm, hand and head region.
The two parties then separated and returned to their respective units.
The victim phoned emergency services and was subsequently taken to hospital.
Hospital staff later told police the man’s arm was “virtually cut in half” as a result of the stab wound to his forearm, while a gash on his finger went down to the tendon.
Meantime, officers who arrested Ennew at his unit said they noticed blood on his hands when he answered the door. He admitted to being involved in an altercation with the victim, saying they had fought about the victim allegedly trespassing on the premises.
Ennew was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He was granted strict conditional bail in court on Thursday on account of his clean criminal record.
Magistrate Susan McGowan also ordered Ennew to report to police, live at an address in Keiraville and have no contact with the victim.
Ennew’s lawyer, Danny Lagopodis, said his client would fight the allegations, including suggestions he had the knife tied around his neck.
My client says he was on his way to his own unit when the alleged victim came up to him and started attacking him
- Defence lawyer Danny Lagopodis
“My client says he was on his way to his own unit when the alleged victim came up to him and started attacking him,” he said.
“He will be arguing self defence.”
The case will return to court on January 11.