Jonathan Habib pleads guilty to pokie debt stabbing
A Kellyville Ridge man brazenly attempted to rob a man of his winnings before the man was stabbed in the chest inside a West Ryde tavern.
Hills Shire
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A Kellyville Ridge man brazenly stabbed and slashed a man when he tried to steal his pokies winnings after he lost $2000.
Jonathon Antonios Habib, 22, pleaded guilty to assaulting a man with intent to rob, armed with an offensive weapon when he appeared in Sydney Downing Centre’s Local Court on Thursday.
Agreed facts tendered to court said Habib started drinking at Ryedales Tavern in West Ryde on August 15 last year where he lost about $2000 on the poker machines.
Another man was also playing the pokies and won about $2700 after betting $100.
The man saw Habib looking at him while he collected his winnings before he returned to the gaming room.
About 30 minutes later, Habib approached the man from behind, tapped him on the arm and told the man to “take out your money” from the machine.
Habib was holding a steak knife and started waving it back and forth, slashing the man’s jumper and piercing his skin.
Habib grabbed at the man multiple times before he stabbed him in the left side of the chest, causing immediate pain.
Habib repeatedly told the man, “I want all your money”.
The man stood up before Habib turned to leave the gaming room.
Habib abruptly turned and pushed the man’s chest causing him to fall backwards into a glass window.
The pair got into a physical altercation where the man tried to defend himself and Habib cut his hand on the knife.
The man yelled for help and to call police before Habib fled the premises.
The incident lasted about one minute and 30 seconds, with the incident captured on CCTV.
The man sustained slashes to his upper arm and a small puncture mark on his chest.
Habib was arrested later that evening still in possession of the knife.
He was committed to be sentenced to District Court in March.
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