Mascot stabbing: bail granted after alleged worksite attack
A court heard that the wounds of an alleged stabbing victim were so deep that his fat and muscle were exposed. The man accused of the attack was in court on Tuesday where details of the case were revealed.
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A punch-up between two construction workers at a Mascot worksite escalated into a stabbing when one man came back for a second confrontation, a court has heard.
Mojtaba Ghotbeh, 28, was granted bail at Central Local Court on Tuesday, charged with the repeated stabbing of a 25-year-old colleague Dylan Emery at the Coward St site on Monday.
His freedom on strict conditional bail was ensured thanks in part to a $10,000 surety put forward his partner’s mother.
Appearing via video link, the slightly-built refugee who arrived by boat to Australia in 2015 was sporting a shaved head and wore red scratch marks below his left eye and to the right of his top lip.
Ghotbeh admits to being involved in a fist fight but denies the police allegations of stabbing Mr Emery while the pair were squirming on the ground about 11am yesterday.
The Blacktown resident did not leave the scene and was arrested by police before being charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm later on Monday night.
Excerpts of agreed facts read to the court stated witnesses watched on as the carpenter became involved in an initial fight, instigated by Mr Emery, before their co-workers separated them.
Ghotbeh then went downstairs to level one of the site in order to “continue working”, the court heard, when he was followed by the victim.
It is alleged a second confrontation broke out leaving Ghotbeh on top of his opponent, before a “sharp object” was used to stab Mr Emery several times.
The extent of his injuries are still unknown, but the court heard he had “significant” wounds including deep cuts to his left and right calves and two punctures to his left armpit area.
A laceration to Mr Emery’s right calf was so deep emergency personnel “could see the fat and muscle”, the court heard.
“There was several attempts at stabbing or slashing,” prosecutor Sergeant Sayed Geha told Magistrate Michael Crompton.
Ghotbeh’s defence said that according to police facts they had not located a “weapon” and instead seized several “sharp objects” from the Meriton construction site, arguing the lacerations could have been caused while the two were allegedly rolling on the ground.
“Your Honour … they’re having a fight on the floor of a building site,” she said.
Ghotbeh, who wishes to apply for permanent residency, spends “almost every day” at the family home of his girlfriend who supported him in court on Tuesday, the court heard.
He was so loved by her family that her single mother was willing to put up $80,000 in surety to secure his release, but Magistrate Crompton was satisfied with $10,000.
Magistrate Crompton said there appeared to be a “reasonably strong circumstantial case” but agreed that Ghotbeh was unlikely to not comply with bail conditions.
He must not visit the Coward St site or speak to any witnesses, report daily to Blacktown police station and live at his Blacktown home.
The victim remains in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
