Emergency services detail efforts to save Easter show stabbing victim Uati Faletolu in court

Paramedics performed open heart surgery on a young father-to-be after a suspected “postcode war” stabbing at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, a court has heard.

Emergency service workers performed open heart surgery on a young father-to-be as he lay dying among a sea of onlookers after a suspected ‘postcode war’ stabbing at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, a court has heard.

Details of the desperate attempts by police and ambulance crews to save 17-year-old Uati Faletolu’s life following the deadly brawl were laid bare in Parramatta Children’s Court on Wednesday as a magistrate lamented the tragic cost of knife crime throughout the state.

“Knives play a terrible part in crimes throughout the state,” Magistrate Trevor Khan said during a sentencing hearing for one of the teens involved in the initial melee.

“It seems to me that young people, when armed with knives, don’t understand the implications of what can happen.

Court documents said the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had come to Mr Faletolu’s aid when the fight began just after 8pm.

Police and ambulance crews attempting to save 17-year-old Uati Faletolu’s life.

The court heard he too had a knife — given to him by Mr Faletolu earlier in the night — and had chased after the rival group of men as they fled through the crowd.

The teen was charged with affray, carrying a knife in public and being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Footage of the brawl was streamed online including a man carrying a knife.

He pleaded guilty to the affray and knife charges in court, in exchange for police withdrawing the armed with intent charge.

The presence of not one but two knives among the rival groups that night prompted Magistrate Trevor Khan to take aim at the seemingly growing number of youths carrying bladed weapons in public.

Uati ‘Pele’ Faletolu who was stabbed to death in a violent fight at the Royal Easter Show Picture: TikTok

“The consequence [of carrying a knife] is, sadly, someone too often is hurt or killed,” he said.

Defence lawyer Timothy Khoo said there was “some suggestion” the fatal stabbing was linked to the victim’s address and referenced the so-called ‘postcode wars’ currently gripping western Sydney.

He asked the court to issue his client with a formal caution, saying the teen had made significant, positive changes in his life since his arrest.

Uati Faletolu and girlfriend Taylor Piliae. Picture: Facebook

“Since being granted bail he’s made great strides to improve his situation and has demonstrated his willingness to comply with court orders,” Mr Khoo said.

However, Magistrate Khan indicated he could not overlook the need for strong general deterrence in determining the sentence.

“I do accept this is an absolute tragedy, but there is a necessity for all courts to make clear that the consequences of matters affray, particularly where there are knives involved, are potentially so consequential and sadly this is one of those cases,” he said.

He placed the teen on a 12-month good behaviour bond, without supervision.

Meanwhile, Mr Faletolu’s killer remains at large, with police yet to identify any of the rival group involved, despite video shot by onlookers showing dozens of people watching as the deadly brawl unfolded.