David O’Toole released on home detention bail after being accused of stabbing a friend and his wife with a screwdriver
An Adelaide man, accused of stabbing a friend with a screwdriver 15 times and the man’s wife six times, has been released on home detention bail.
Police & Courts
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A man accused of stabbing a friend 15 times with a screwdriver during a unprovoked attack in the man’s garage has been granted home detention bail.
David James O’Toole, 34, is also accused of stabbing the victim’s wife six times with the screwdriver when she came to her husband’s aid.
But O’Toole is insisting that the victim had attacked him first and the multiple stabbing was self-defence.
Appearing in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, O’Toole’s lawyer said that his client faced a “very significant period of time” in custody awaiting trial if he was not granted home detention bail.
The police prosecutor told Magistrate Paul Foley that O’Toole and the victim had known each other for four years and on the morning of February 29 the pair had been working on building a paint booth in the victim’s garage in West Lakes Shore.
The pair smoked cannabis together over the course of the day.
The victim said he had been on his knees working on a bracket on the booth when he felt a blow to the back of his head.
At first he thought the booth was falling apart but told police he turned to find O’Toole attacking him.
It wasn’t until the victim tasted blood that he realised he had been stabbed with a screwdriver.
The victim’s wife said she heard shouting from the garage and went to help her husband, suffering stab wounds to her arm.
The victim said the assault came to an end when he wrapped O’Toole in a “bear hug” and pleaded with him to “please stop”.
Police will allege O’Toole stopped attacking the man and started apologising before fleeing.
The victim’s mother took the pair to hospital where the male was treated for a collapsed lung and lacerated kidney.
O’Toole called the police and told them a fight had happened at the house.
The court heard that O’Toole maintained that he had stabbed the pair in self-defence during a fight.
He also suffered defensive injuries in the fight.
Mr Foley ordered that O’Toole be released on home detention bail noting that the man had no criminal history and the home detention address was far from the victim.
