Concourse Bar stabbing: Fight broke out over smoking ban
A barman who suffered multiple stab wounds after a brawl in a CBD bar remains in a serious condition after a dispute over a smoking ban escalated “extremely quickly and violently”.
NSW
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A barman left with a punctured lung and stab wounds after a drunken, bloody brawl at a Sydney CBD lingerie bar has been described as “always looking out for everyone.”
Four men have been arrested after Lawrence D’iapico-Bien, 32, was left with stab wounds to his back and side after an argument with five men at Wynyard Station’s Concourse Bar at 6pm on Thursday.
Former colleague Jessica Buckman said Mr D’iapico-Bien was a kind person and “you could always count on him if you needed someone to talk to”.
“He helped me out many of times while I was working with him and took me under his wing. It’s just crazy that something like this could happen to such an amazing person,” she said.
Detectives allege a member of staff at the bar, known for its scantily clad waitresses and cheap beer, asked the men not to smoke in a non-smoking area and a dispute erupted.
NSW Police Acting Superintendent Paul Dunstan says the squabble escalated “extremely quickly and violently” with a brawl erupting before one man allegedly produced a knife and “thrashed it around” and stabbed D’iapico-Bien in the back twice.
“The men had consumed alcohol and when staff intervened there was some push and shove and for reasons unknown the man [allegedly] produced a knife and in a rather aggressive and double roundhouse motion stabbed him twice,” he said.
“It was an extremely serious incident.”
Paramedics treated Mr D’iapico-Bien at the venue before he was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
The five men left the scene and police later arrested three of the group nearby.
A 29-year-old man from Narwee was on Thursday also charged with affray. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on November 26.
A third man, a 34-year-old man from Ridgewood in Western Australia, was issued a Criminal Infringement Notice for offensive language.
Kevin Piggott, 31, was also charged with assault and affray.
Appearing via video link at Central Local Court on Friday morning, Mr Piggott, who works as a Sydney Harbour Bridge scaffolder, was granted bail with strict conditions.
The court heard the Padstow man’s involvement in the alleged stabbing was less serious than the other co-accused.
Mr Piggott, who has no previous criminal history, was granted bail to report to Revesby Police Station three days a week, and banned from exiting trains at Wynyard Station, entering the Concourse Bar and making contact with the co-accused or the victim.
Leaving Surry Hills Police Station on Friday, he apologised to the victim, saying he “doesn’t remember” what sparked the brawl and didn’t know the man with the knife.
When asked if he was sorry for what happened to the victim and whether a “good night had spiralled,” he said, “yeah, 100 per cent.”
Mr Pigott is not alleged to have stabbed the bar worker.
A 19-year-old man was arrested on Friday after handing himself in at Green Valley Police Station. He was transferred to Liverpool Police Station where he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray and wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The Bonnyrigg Heights man was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
Following further inquiries, a 26-year-old man was arrested at St Marys Police Stationon Saturday, and was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others and affray.
He was granted conditional bail and is expected to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday.
