John Dunlea, Patrick Earle: New alleged details in Randwick stabbing
Fresh alleged details of the horror Randwick unit stabbing attack have been revealed as another man faced court over the incident. It was alleged men arrived at the unit after a call out for ‘muscle’ before the victim was stabbed several times leaving him with a ruptured spleen and a partially severed ear.
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A man who suffered horror injuries in an alleged stabbing in Randwick was dragged along the floor while suffering from a punctured spleen and severed ear, a court has heard.
Fresh details about the incident on Saturday night were revealed in court on Wednesday after police arrested a fourth person in relation to the incident.
The alleged attack on Oliver Solan, 30, happened inside a Young St unit in Randwick about 8.30pm on Saturday.
Irish couple Patrick Earle, 23, and Katie Murtagh, 26 – who resided at the unit – were refused bail early this week and remain in custody over the incident.
Two other men have since been arrested and charged including Irish national John Dunlea, 27, who fronted court on Wednesday and applied for bail.
The court heard that Earle and Murtagh had been waiting in line at Coogee Pavilion when they met up with the alleged victim.
They caught an Uber back to the Young St home and allegedly drank alcohol and consumed cocaine, the court heard.
An argument between Earle and Solan began which allegedly led to a fight and Earle dislocating his shoulder.
The court heard Earle messaged his friend Dunlea on WhatsApp asking for some “muscle”.
Three men – Dunlea, Patrick Farrell and Christopher Morrison – arrived a short time later and were allegedly let into the unit block by Murtagh about 8.30pm.
The court heard at least one bladed weapon was allegedly produced and Solan was allegedly stabbed multiple times.
The three men who had arrived a short time earlier ran away. Meanwhile, the court heard Earle allegedly dragged Solan’s body “toward the building exit” before he and Murtagh also fled.
The court heard when police arrested Earle blood was allegedly found on his clothing.
The court heard that Solan suffered severe injuries which included a “disfigured” ear and a punctured spleen which had to be removed in surgery.
As at Tuesday night, he remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Dunlea handed himself in at Maroubra police station on Tuesday after police made a public appeal to find him and the other men.
He sat quietly as he appeared via audio visual link in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday charged with one count of wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
His lawyer applied for bail and said Dunlea resided in Australia on a student visa and was from Ireland.
He pointed to a paragraph in the police facts that suggested a knife with a silver blade could be seen in the front pocket of Dunlea’s jumper on CCTV footage.
However, his lawyer questioned if it was inside his pocket, how could police see what colour the blade was or whether it was a knife. He denied Dunlea had a knife.
“In my respectful submission there are a number of inherent flaws (in the police allegations).”
He also said there was no evidence or allegation of any blood being found on Dunlea’s clothing or any of his DNA or fingerprints being found on the knife seized at the scene.
He added it was quite possible that someone had acted “on a frolic of their own” in stabbing Mr Solan.
“There were five people in (the unit) in addition to the victim.”
Magistrate Ross Hudson accepted there was not sufficient evidence to suggest he did take a knife into the unit.
“If the item is in the jumper pocket I am not sure how a complete conclusion can be made (that it is a knife),” he said.
“The evidence is inconclusive. It may be he is just holding the front of his jumper.”
He noted that police had not had the opportunity to interview the victim and more evidence could be provided in future.
He granted Dunlea bail on the condition a surety of $20,000 be made.
Other strict bail conditions included his having to reside at his home in Randwick, report to police seven times a week, keep a curfew, surrender his passport, abstain from drugs, and stay away from Waterloo.
Police are yet to arrest and charge a fifth person in relation to the incident.