A drug user accused of stabbing a man in the forehead and neck during a vicious altercation outside a Mangerton public housing complex on Monday morning has claimed he was acting in self defence.
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Tony Popovski, 37, fronted Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday charged with affray, assault, resisting police and property damage offences.
Defence lawyer Rosie Lambert expressed concern about Popovski's current mental state, telling the court he had been highly agitated when she'd visited him in the cells earlier in the morning and he'd made "graphic and alarming" statements about violence he wanted to inflict on people.
She asked the court to send Popovski for assessment at the mental health ward at Shellharbour Hospital, however Magistrate Susan McGowan rejected the application.
She remanded Popovski in custody without bail, prompting him to explode in a rage.
Earlier in the proceedings, Ms Lambert had told the court self defence or the defence of another would be a "raging issue" in the case.
Court documents said Popovski attended one of the units at block 13 in Myuna Way about 9pm on Sunday.
At some stage during the evening, Popovski and the victim, Wade Landmark, got involved in a brawl in the cul-de-sac, however the matter wasn't reported to police.
The following morning, Popovski was exiting the unit block when he saw Samantha Rutten nearby. He allegedly yelled out to her but she dismissed it, telling him to "f--k off".
It is alleged Popovski walked up to her and hit her in the head with a 50cm-long piece of timber.
She yelled out to Landmark, who was nearby. He ran over to help Rutten and the pair got into another brawl.
It is alleged Popovski pulled a large knife out of the back of his pants and slashed Landmark to the right side of neck above his collar bone, causing a gapping 5cm gash.
Police will claim Popovski then ran inside the entrance of block 13 and closed the glass doors.
With Landmark on the other side, Popovski allegedly thrust the knife through the glass and stabbed Landmark in the forehead.
Police arrived a short time later, by which stage Popovski had allegedly changed his clothing and shaved the sides of his head.
He was arrested after a brief scuffle. Police later located Popovski's hair and clothing inside one of the units.
Landmark and Rutten were taken to hospital where Landmark underwent surgery.
Popovski's matter will return to court in a week.