Erol Tokcan murder: Girlfriend Crystal Watson speaks at Jake Burns hearing

A woman broke down in court as she told how she allegedly tried to ‘pick up’ and throw out three home intruders before one plunged a knife into her partner’s chest.

The girlfriend of a man who was killed after home intruders demanded marijuana has told a court of the moment he was fatally stabbed.

Erol Tokcan, 38, died after he was fatally stabbed in his Dharruk home on March 2018.

Jake Burns, 25, has pleaded guilty to murder yet there is a dispute in facts between his defence and the Crown’s version of events.

Erol Tokcan was fatally stabbed at his home in March 2018. Picture: NSW Police

Mr Tokcan’s girlfriend Crystal Watson took to the stand at the NSW Supreme Court for Burns’ sentence hearing on Tuesday.

She told the court that she, Mr Tokcan and his two friends including David Lipika had been in their lounge room when they heard someone knock on the front door on the night of his death.

She said she feared they were being robbed.

“I thought they were going to attack us,” she told the court.

Distraught family and friends gathered outside the Dharruk home after the attack. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

She said she got up and pushed two of them out of the house before realising a third was still inside.

“I tried to pick them up and get them out…. I missed one and then as I turned I saw one of them stab Erol in the chest,” she told the court.

She claimed she saw a knife “go past” her just before he was stabbed.

Police video footage of a walkthrough with Ms Watson in the house days after the murder was shown in court.

“The guy said he wants 50 pot so Erol’s gone to look for pot…he had his back turned,” Ms Watson told police.

“As I turned around to see where Erol was the guy pinned a knife right into his chest.”

A forensic officer at the crime scene at Livingstone Ave, Dharruk. Picture: Jenny Evans

While being examined by Burns’ defence lawyer, Ms Watson suffered a mental episode in court.

After Justice Lucy McCallum told the court she was worried about Ms Watson’s mental health, the crown prosecutor formally withdrew her evidence and she was released.

Mr Tokcan’s friend David Lapika, who was at the house that night, also spoke in court and claimed the men had demanded “a fifty” of marijuana as they stormed in.

Mr Lapika said Burns barged in and said, “more than a fifty mother****er” as he grabbed him by the shoulder.

Erol Tokcan. Picture: Supplied

Mr Lapika responded saying, ‘Are you f***ing serious?” before he alleged Burns said, “I’ll f***ing stab you c**t.”

While Burns’ lawyer suggested the accused had never said anything about a stabbing Mr Lapika was adamant a stabbing threat was made.

He said Mr Tokcan then told Burns “what are you doing in my f***ing house?” before the two began to “wrestle.”

When put to him by Burns’ lawyer that he never saw a knife, he admitted he had not.

Yet he told the court he saw Burns make a “hand gesture” towards Mr Tokcan and said his vision was blocked by Ms Watson who was screaming.

Two other co-accused on lesser charges will give evidence on Thursday.

The hearing continues.