Real estate agent Karl Howard accused of samurai sword attack gets bail

Former Balmain real estate agent Karl Howard has been granted bail with his father to travel from overseas to Australia to act as his surety, a court heard today.

Karl Howard has been behind bars on remand since his arrest.

A Sydney real estate agent accused of attacking a woman with a samurai sword will be released on bail after a court heard his father was preparing to travel from overseas to act as his surety.

New Zealand-born former Ray White Balmain principal Karl Howard faced Downing Centre District Court on Monday after allegedly assaulting two women – including one with the sword – at his Annandale home last February.

Crown prosecutor Edward Freelander told the court he did not oppose the 44-year-old being released on bail with certain conditions.

Karl Howard is accused of assaulting two women at his Annandale home last February.

Karl Howard’s father is preparing to travel to Australia to act as his surety.

Defence barrister Edward Anderson, acting on behalf of Howard, said a requirement as part of those conditions would be that he live with his parents, who are overseas.

However, Mr Anderson said they did not have a home for them to live in yet.

Howard secured $2.63 million in the sale of his Annandale home last May.

“The residence requirement would be that he reside either with Kenneth Howard or Brenda Howard – his parents,” Mr Anderson said.

“But we don’t have an address yet because, without a grant of bail, they weren’t going to come over to Australia and rent a property for that purpose.

“His father is also the surety and obviously a surety can’t be entered until he’s in the country.“

Judge Chris O’Brien said Howard will have to notify the court of his new address within 24 hours of it becoming known to him.

The judge granted Howard bail with a range of strict conditions including that he must abstain from alcohol or illicit drugs and that his father must forfeit $20,000 if he fails to appear in court.

“You won’t be released immediately because there has to be some steps taken in relation to the surety, as I apprehend it your father is not currently in the country but is preparing to journey here for that purpose,” Judge O’Brien said.

Howard, who appeared via a video link from Parklea jail, replied: “Thank you, your honour”.

Defence lawyer John Sutton, also acting on behalf of Howard, previously told a court his client would plead not guilty to wounding with intent to murder and intent to cause grievous bodily harm but would plead guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.

Outside court, Mr Sutton said Howard was suffering from psychosis at the time of the incident and did not actually intend to hurt the woman with the samurai sword.

Howard will return to court to be arraigned in January when he will formally enter his pleas.