Balmain samurai sword real estate agent runs into traffic after court plea

Karl Howard pleaded guilty to attacking two women, including one with a samurai sword, but prosecutors have rejected the plea before the accused man ran into traffic outside court.

Real estate agent Karl Howard ran from a Sydney court and straight into traffic after prosecutors refused a plea deal over his drug-fuelled attack on two women, which included him attacking one with a samurai sword, in his sprawling Sydney home.

Howard, 45, appeared in the Downing Centre District Court this week accused of attacking two women in his Annandale home in February 2021 – the women cannot be legally identified.

The former Balmain agent pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm to the first woman and pleaded guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm to the second woman when he faced the first day of his trial on Thursday.

But prosecutors rejected his admissions saying they did not “satisfy” the indictment against him.

That’s because prosecutors allege Howard intended to murder the second woman when he struck her with the samurai sword, or alternatively intended to cause grievous bodily harm in the attack.

Real estate agent Karl Howard sprinted from The Downing Centre Court. Picture: Julian Andrews

The prosecutors believe Howard was more than just “reckless” as to whether he caused grievous bodily harm to the woman who he sliced with the sword.

Judge Antony Townsend will now hear a trial, without a jury, to determine what Howard’s intent was when he assaulted the second woman.

Karl Howard has tried to plead guilty to two charges – but prosecutors have refused to accept his admissions.

Howard, 45, on Thursday pleaded guilty to attacking two women in his Annandale home.

The woman Howard punched was prepared to give evidence against him, the court heard.

Howard sat silently, in a black mask and dark suit, in the dock of the court.

The real estate agent then rushed from the Downing Centre Court as he was surrounded by news cameras.

His eyes covered with dark sunglasses, he pushed people out of his way and ran into the path of an oncoming taxi as he darted across the road.

Howard’s lawyer, last month, had applied for a judge alone trial, telling the court gruesome photographs of the crime scene would turn a jury against him.

“He’s the villain of this story, that’s not in dispute,” the lawyer, Michael Burke, said in court.

Howard was a co-principal at Ray White ­Balmain, but had his employment terminated after his arrest. He sold his mansion for $2.63m while behind bars, before he applied for — and was released on — bail.

The trial will resume on Friday.