Body modifier Brendan Russell was ‘God’ to woman who died: court

Body modifier Brendan Russell was “a God” to a woman who died after a silicone snowflake, implanted in her hand, allegedly went “green and yellow” and poisoned her blood, a court has heard.

Body modifier Brendan Russell was a “God” to a woman who died after a silicone snowflake, implanted in her hand, allegedly went “green and yellow” and poisoned her blood, a court has heard.

The Central Coast modifier, who called himself BSlice, had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of a young woman who cannot be named.

Crown prosecutors allege the woman contracted a fatal blood infection after Russell inserted the snowflake under the skin on the back of her right hand.

The young mother was found dead by her young daughter in their home in April 2017 and experts concluded she died of septicaemia.

“She trusted Brendan because he travelled the world doing procedures. She had all faith in him,” The woman’s mother told the NSW District Court on Thursday.

“You don’t understand mum, to me Brendan is a God and a lot of people think so,” the mother recalled the daughter saying.

Brendan Russell arriving at the Downing Centre, Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

The dead woman’s mother told the court she had disapproved of her daughter’s growing collection of body modifications done by Russell.

They included a crown on her shoulder, a magnet in her finger and decorative skin removal known as scarification, the court heard.

But when the woman showed her mother the large snowflake on her hand, in early 2017, the mother said she was shocked.

“I was quite horrified, I said ‘oh my god what have you done’?” the mother told the court.

“It was so big I was so shocked.”

The mother had dinner with her daughter on April 9, she told the court, and caught a glimpse of her daughter’s hand as she reached across the table.

“I could see this yellow and green incision,” the mother said.

“I said ‘your hand, it’s infected’. She said ‘it’s okay mum, I’m seeing Brendan tomorrow, he’s going to clean it and besides I’m on antibiotics’.”

That was the last time the mother saw her daughter alive, she told the court.

In the days that followed the mother had a troubling phone call with her daughter.

The daughter had called her mother and said she’d returned to Russell to have the implant looked at and it had bled profusely, the mother told the court.

In the next phone call, the day before the daughter’s death, the young woman “didn’t sound herself”, the court heard.

The mother had been at a funeral for a dear friend of the family but her daughter appeared to totally forget the tragedy, the court heard.

The mother said she wanted to check in on her daughter, but the younger woman said not to come.

The next morning the mother said she saw her phone ringing.

It was her daughter’s neighbour — screaming that the daughter was dead.

The court heard the mother raced to her daughter’s home and found the neighbour doing CPR.

The mother attempted to save her as well — she was blue, the court heard.

“Her right hand, her fingers were nearly black, it was clear (she) had died nearly two hours before,” the mother said.

Brendan Russell pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of a young woman who cannot be named Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

The court saw images of the bloodied hand implant and other photos including “love hearts” on the daughter’s breasts, a scarab beetle scarification design, as well as the young woman hanging from hooks with Mr Russell standing next to her on a stage.

The mother told the court she blamed Russell for her daughter’s death after reading medical reports that concluded she had died of blood poisoning.

Russell is expected to challenge the medical conclusions put forward by prosecutors.

The mother denied that had coloured her recollection - and insisted she just wanted “justice” for her daughter.

Russell has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of female genital mutilation - after being accused of excising another woman’s labia.

He has also pleaded not guilty to grievous bodily harm after allegedly performing a “tummy tuck” on a third woman.

The trial continues before Judge Helen Syme.