Men stabbed in attack on Devonshire Street, Newcastle West

Details have emerged of a vicious, unprovoked attack in a Newcastle laneway which has left a restaurant worker with a stab wound to the neck and a workmate with a slash to his arm.

The laneway called Devonshire St, which runs between King and Hunter streets in Newcastle, where two men were stabbed during an attack on January 19, 2023. Picture: Google Maps.

Two restaurant workers looking for an early morning drink are lucky to be alive after being set upon in a vicious and unprovoked attack which has left one in surgery with a knife wound to the neck and the second with a badly injured arm.

The men, aged 28 and 25, had just got out of a taxi in Newcastle West’s King St about 3.30am when they realised the popular Star Hotel had shut for the evening.

They decided to walk along Devonshire St, an alleyway connecting the busy arterial routes of King and Hunter streets, when they were set upon by one of three people lurking in the lane.

One man was stabbed in the arm before the main attacker lunged at his friend, plunging the knife into his neck.

He was initially listed as being in a critical condition before paramedics were able to stem the bleeding and rush both men to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.

The laneway called Devonshire St looking from King St towards Hunter St. Two men were stabbed in the early hours of Thursday, including one with a critical wound to the neck. Picture: Google Maps.

Both men needed surgery, with only the man stabbed in the arm able to speak with detectives on Thursday morning.

The younger man’s wallet was also stolen during the attack, which detectives said was completely unprovoked.

Newcastle City detectives are now working to identify the main attacker and his associates, which appeared in closed circuit television footage as another man and a woman.

They are also investigating whether they were late night partygoers or had visited the inner-city and lurked around darkened alleyways such as Devonshire St looking for victims to rob.

Police said on Thursday morning the victims were listed as serious but stable.

Police have only briefly spoken to the men, with detectives set to visit the hospital again on Thursday in a bid to garner more information.

Other investigators are combing the scene for closed circuit television footage as they plead with anything with information to come forward.

Sapphire Indian Restaurant confirmed in a social media post that both men worked at the popular Glebe Rd business as chefs.

“We are very sad to announce that two of our chefs have been stabbed in Newcastle last night. They both are undergoing surgeries one on neck and other one on arm,” the post read.

“We are very short staff because of this sudden shocking incident. We will be reducing our selection of naan breads. Please support us in this difficult time and pray for both of them for speedy recovery . We appreciate your patience and support.”