Nathan Turner stabbed mate in ‘frenzied attack’ at Campbelltown motor inn over ‘harassment’

A court has heard a man went into a ‘frenzied’ rage and stabbed his mate three times, forcing him into intensive care for five days, because he was ‘harassed’.

A man who stabbed his friend in the head with a knife outside a southwest Sydney motor inn claims the victim was “harassing” him in the hours leading up to the attack, a court has heard.

Nathan Turner faced the NSW District Court on Wednesday via AVL from Silverwater Correctional Complex for a sentence hearing after pleading guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The court heard Turner had been at the Campbelltown Colonial Motor Inn on October 18 when he pulled a knife and stabbed a man three times at about 10am.

CCTV footage played to the court shows the moment Turner walked up to the victim, who was allegedly talking to Turner’s girlfriend, pulled out a knife and lunged at him.

Police released a photo to the public two weeks following to alleged stabbing to assist in the search for Nathan Turner. Picture – NSW Police

Turner is seen stabbing the victim three times, in the lower back, face and back of the head.

Footage shows the victim running away from Turner, who follows and continues to punch and kick him while on the ground.

Crown prosecutor Alexandra Degnan told the court the offence was on the ‘mid-range’ of seriousness because Turner used a weapon and struck the victim three times while there was no retaliation.

“The offender chased the victim while still holding the knife into a dead-end where the victim was hunched over, light-headed and lost a lot of blood,” she said.

Agreed facts tendered to the court said it wasn’t until the hotel manager walked over to the group that Turner stopped attacking the victim.

Turner fled the scene in a white Toyota Camry, while police arrived and found the victim covered in blood and holding towels up to his injuries.

Ms Degnan told the court the victim had two wounds that required internal stitches.

The court heard Turner had been at the Campbelltown Colonial Motor Inn on October 18 when he pulled a knife and stabbed a man three times at about 10am. Picture: Google Map

“There were numerous injuries that put him in a serious condition at the Liverpool Hospital Intensive Care Unit for five days,” she said.

“There have been lasting effects from the assault, with the victim suffering weakness to the left side of his face and drooling from the mouth.”

The court heard the victim had been “harassing” Turner in the hours leading up to the attack, but Ms Degnan said his actions “in no way provoked this response”.

“While he may well have been abusive, he had not been violent in any way,” she said.

Ms Degnan told the court Turner tried to “excuse his actions” because he claimed he was “neutralising” the situation.

The court heard Turner told the police he stabbed the victim because “someone else was going to end up hurt”.

“Turner said he stabbed the victim in the neck in response to his own high levels of fear,” Ms Degnan said.

“This is a man when frustrated by a victim, armed himself with a weapon and engaged himself in a frenzied attack that did not end until someone else intervened.”

Police released an image of Turner to the public in an attempt to locate him following the attack, tracking him down three weeks later.

He was arrested on November 6, charged and has been refused bail.

Turner remains behind bars on remand and will face court in December for sentence.