Kevin Willoughby, 71, intends to change his guilty plea over Woy Woy stabbing

An elderly man who pleaded guilty to recklessly stabbing a much younger man at Woy Woy intends to reverse his plea, a court has heard.

An elderly man who pleaded guilty to stabbing a 24-year-old near the heart with a fishing knife during a heated argument intends to change his plea to not guilty, a court has heard.

Kevin Willoughby, 71, of Woy Woy, faced Gosford Local Court on Tuesday where his Legal Aid solicitor said his client was unrepresented when he first appeared on November 2 and entered a guilty plea to one count of reckless wounding.

Mr Willoughby’s solicitor said having now sought legal advice, there was “a change of plan” and he made an application to traverse the guilty plea.

Police allege the pensioner had been in a relationship for 38 years and the victim had been living with the couple at Woy Woy for a month before the incident on September 12.

Police further allege Mr Willoughby had returned from a walk to the shops to find the victim lying on the couch watching television before an argument broke out between Mr Willoughby, his partner and the victim.

A set of facts tendered at his last appearance alleges Mr Willoughby went into his bedroom and retrieved a fishing knife from his bedside drawer.

“The victim was standing at the doorway to the bedroom and continued to argue with the accused,” the facts allege.

The facts allege a physical fight broke out and the victim was stabbed with the knife “entering the left side of his abdomen in close proximity of his heart”.

Police allege Mr Willoughby stabbed the younger ma with a fishing knife. (File image)

The victim managed to walk outside where he grabbed a chair and used it to knock Mr Willoughby to the ground.

The victim tried to grab the knife and received deep cuts to his fingers before he was able to secure the weapon and left the home on Railway St, handing the knife to a neighbour who helped him with his injuries.

Emergency services arrived and took the victim to Royal North Shore Hospital.

Mr Willoughby was treated for a head injury before he was arrested.

He participated in a police interview and told officers the victim received the wound after hitting him with the chair.

“The accused said the victim walked into him resulting in the knife wound in his chest,” the facts allege.

The matter was adjourned to February 15.