Brendan Russell: Body modifier’s manslaughter trial pushed back
A manslaughter trial for a body modifier is not ready to proceed and has been pushed back. It comes as his legal team attempt to get a separate charge of female genital mutilation quashed.
Central Coast
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A manslaughter trial for a body modifier accused of botching a procedure which led to the death of a young mum will not go ahead this year after a judge heard it was not ready to proceed.
Brendan Russell, 39, a body modifier from Newcastle who also goes by the name BSlice, was back in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court on Monday.
His defence lawyer Michael Mantaj successfully applied for his trial to be vacated and it has now been pushed back to May next year. It was originally set down to begin later this month.
Russell allegedly installed a silicon snowflake beneath skin on the back of a 30-year-old woman’s hand on the Central Coast in 2017.
Police will allege the woman returned to Russell’s body modification studio at Erina complaining of pain.
It will be alleged in court that Russell removed the implant, drained the wound, and inserted a new snowflake before sending her home.
Police say the woman succumbed to a deadly septicaemia infection and was found dead by her young child in their home.
Judge Dina Yehia granted the application on Monday for the trial to be vacated and set down a new trial date for May 10 next year, after hearing it was not ready to proceed.
“The reason for the application is the issue of causation which requires further exploration and further expert reports,” Judge Yehia said.
The Crown prosecutor consented to the application to vacate the trial.
Russell has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent, and is also fighting a charge of female genital mutilation over a separate alleged surgery.
That charge relates to an alleged procedure in 2015 in Newcastle, which allegedly involved Russell removing a woman’s labia minora.
Russell’s lawyer indicated he would be making an application for the charge of female genital mutilation to be quashed.
The court heard the trial next year could take up to six weeks. Russell remains on bail.
Earlier this year, in a separate trial, another body modifier, Howard Rollins, was cleared of assisting Russell in the alleged removal of a woman’s labia in 2015.
Mr Rollins was not involved in the alleged snowflake manslaughter.