Korie Lee James Pascoe in Bundaberg District Court on grievous bodily harm

Horrific details of the moment a man pulled a knife out of his own head after being attacked by his housemate at Bundaberg have been revealed.

A night of drinking took a horrific turn for two Bundaberg housemates when a fight ended in a brain-exposing stabbing.

Bundaberg District Court heard on Tuesday Korie Lee James Pascoe, 27, stabbed his housemate with such force that the knife became lodged in his skull.

Pascoe was “immediately sorry” and helped apply pressure to his mate’s bleeding wound after his victim pulled the knife from his own head.

Crown Prosecutor Erin Kelly told the court the victim suffered a number of injuries, including a 2cm cut, compressed skull fracture and 7mm subdural haematoma which put pressure on his brain.

The two men had been drinking at a local pub when they returned home to where they both lived.

An argument broke out in the kitchen that night somewhere between November 9 and 10, 2019 and Pascoe’s mother, who also lived at the home, tried to intervene.

But when the victim walked behind Pascoe, who was facing a wall, Pascoe, armed with a knife, swung his arm behind himself, striking the victim in the left side of the head.

Korie Pascoe was ‘immediately sorry’ after stabbing his housemate with a knife.

The victim had to be flown to the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital where he was treated in the neurosurgical ward.

Ms Kelly told the court that had the victim’s wound not been treated, the exposed brain would have posed a danger to his life.

“The injuries were quite significant – the complainant spent nearly two weeks in hospital in two separate stints,” Ms Kelly said.

The victim suffered a secondary bout of infection which resulted in his second hospital stay, however it was successfully argued by his Barrister Nick Larter that the infection could have been caused by the victim not completing all of his antibiotic treatment during the first stint.

Mr Larter said his client had worked in the sugar industry and in construction and had stopped drinking since the offence.

He said Pascoe had a limited criminal history and letters from his family tendered to the court described him as a devoted brother and father for whom violence was out of character.

It was further heard that Pascoe suffered from depression and anxiety.

In sentencing, Judge Katherine McGinness said alcohol appeared to play some part in the offending, but was not an excuse.

“Mr Pascoe, the inflicting of serious injury without warning to the complainant’s head was a reprehensible act, there was a real potential for death or even more serious injury than already occurred,” she said.

“The use of a knife is also a serious matter. By choosing to use a knife you are choosing to use an inherently dangerous weapon.”

Pascoe pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm.

He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with a parole release date of March 8, 2022.