West Gosford Bunnings: Joshua Engu pleads guilty to stabbing

A morning trip to Bunnings ended in a young dad getting stabbed with a pair of pink-handled scissors after another man made a comment about his partner’s clothing, a court has heard.

Joshua Engu, 34, has pleaded guilty to stabbing a man with a pair of pink handled scissors after an argument in the Bunnings car park at West Gosford. Picture 16x9: supplied

A man on a trip to Bunnings was left with a broken nose, bruising and three puncture wounds to his torso after he confronted a group of three men in a hired van who had commented about his partner’s clothing.

Joshua Engu, 34, faced Gosford Local Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to one count of reckless wounding.

An agreed set of facts states Engu and two other men attended Bunnings Warehouse at West Gosford about 9.30am on March 7 last year.

After purchasing two bags of cement they walked back to their hire van and began leaving.

Meanwhile another man, 38, was putting his two-year-old daughter in her child seat when Engu, who was driving the van, went past and commented about the man’s partner.

The man didn’t hear what was said and replied “what?” to Engu.

Engu faced Gosford Local Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“An altercation commenced between the two parties as a result of the offender looking at the victim’s partner and making a comment about what she was wearing,” the facts state.

The victim walked back to his car but Engu drove around the car park and pulled up in front of the couple’s car where the altercation continued.

Engu armed himself with a pair of pink-handled scissors. It was not stated what brand they were. (File image)

Engu then drove off with the victim following on foot to the Spotlight car park where he approached the driver’s side window and continued the verbal argument.

Engu turned into Yallambee Ave and was waiting in the right hand turning lane for the lights to change when the victim approached again and confronted him.

“A struggle ensued and the victim saw the offender reach for a pair of scissors within the van,” the facts state.

“The scissors had a pink plastic handle and were long and thin.”

The victim confronted Engu in the car park of West Gosford Bunnings before he was stbbed in Yallambee Ave. Picture: Google

One of Engu’s passengers, aged 20, got out and came around to the victim and swung several punches.

“The offender then exited the van and ran to the victim and took a number of swings towards the victim using the scissors,” the facts state.

“The offender swings at the victim a number of times, with the scissors stabbing the victim on at least three occasions to the left side of his torso area.”

While this was happening Engu’s passenger tripped the victim over and pushed him to the ground where Engu lunged out again but this time only managed to scratch him on the upper arm.

Engu’s other passenger, aged 39, then got out of the van and allegedly started kicking the victim to the face and arms until bystanders intervened and Engu and his two passengers got back in the van and fled.

The victim was taken to Gosford Hospital where he was treated for puncture wounds to his body, bruises, scratches , a split lip and fractured nose.

Police conducted checks on the van’s registration and found it was hired by Engu at the time.

He was refused bail to face Gosford District Court on June 19 to fix a sentence date.

His two passengers have already pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company and will face court again in May and August for sentence.