John Matthew Fitzgerald pleads not guilty to attempted murder

A Supreme Court has been told grisly details of how blood began ‘gushing’ out of a man’s neck after he was allegedly stabbed by a stranger in a Brisbane unit.

A Brisbane man has denied that he stabbed a drunk stranger in the neck during an “act of random violence” after the man stumbled into a crowded unit looking for a friend.

John Matthew Fitzgerald is on trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court where he has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Josue Natanael Espinosa-Cassanelli at a Woolloongabba unit on April 18, 2019.

Prosecutor Russell Hood told the court that at least five people witnessed Mr Fitzgerald pull out a folding knife and slice Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli in the neck about 11pm.

Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. Picture: David Clark

The court heard that minutes earlier Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli had gotten into a verbal argument with some people in the Park Rd apartment when he drunkenly “barged” in looking for an acquaintance and sat on a couch.

Mr Hood said witnesses will give evidence that Mr Fitzgerald then “suddenly appeared” and sliced Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli on the neck.

“When (Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli) pulled his hand away from his neck, blood started gushing and squirting out of his neck,” Mr Hood said.

“The lounge room floor was covered in blood and there was blood all over the door and bookcase …”

One of the other men in the unit asked Mr Fitzgerald “What the F---k did you do that for?”

He allegedly said nothing and walked out the back door.

The court heard Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli ran outside and collapsed on a nearby driveway, where one of the people from the apartment helped him until paramedics arrived.

He was rushed to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for an 8cm wound that almost severed his left jugular vein.

Mr Hood said Mr Fitzgerald’s phone would show he had sent a flurry of text messages just after the alleged stabbing telling a friend he was in “big big trouble” and needed help.

The court heard Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli would not give evidence in the trial because he had no memory of the night, but at least five people would testify that they had witnessed Mr Fitzgerald stab him.

“It is the accumulation of evidence from those witnesses …which the prosecution would satisfy you beyond reasonable doubt that it was the defendant John Matthew Fitzgerald who stabbed the complainant and he did so with intent to kill him,” Mr Hood said.

“This was an act of random violence inflicted upon a defenceless man who wasn’t even aware that he was about to be stabbed.”

Mr Fitzgerald’s barrister did not make an opening statement to the jury, but the court heard it would be argued that he was not the person who stabbed Mr Espinosa-Cassanelli and there was no intention to kill.

The five-day trial continues before Justice Susan Brown.