Trial begins for Manly hooker Manase Fainu charged over Mormon dance party stabbing

The organiser of the packed dance party told Parramatta District Court he heard someone yell “he’s got a knife” but did not see who carried out the bloody carpark stabbing.

Rising NRL star Manase Fainu has denied playing any part in stabbing a man in the back during a wild brawl outside a Mormon church dance party in 2019, a court has heard.

The Manly hooker fronted Parramatta District Court on Tuesday for day one of a scheduled three-week trial.

He formally pleaded not guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

In her opening address to the jury, Crown prosecutor Emma Curran said she anticipated fellow churchgoer Tony Quach would name Fainu as the person he saw attack church youth leader Faamanu Levi on the evening of October 25, 2019 after an argument inside the hall spilled into violence in the church’s carpark.

“Tony will tell you I expect he saw (Fainu) holding a knife, described as a steak knife, in his right hand, with his arm bent at a 90 degree angle,” Ms Curran told jurors.

Manase Fainu arrives at Parramatta Court for the start of his trial. Picture: John Grainger

“Tony also saw (Fainu’s) left arm was in a sling.

“He swung the knife into Mr Levi’s back, striking him just under the right shoulder blade.

“He moved the knife towards his face and cut him above the right eye.”

The court heard Fainu and two other men, including Uona Faingaa, also known as ‘Big Buck’, had attended the charity dance around 11pm.

Ms Curran said CCTV footage from the site showed Fainu’s left arm was in a sling, following recent shoulder surgery and he was wearing a black top, a black hat and black tracksuit pants with a white stripe.

The court heard an argument broke out inside the dance hall, prompting Fainu and his friends to be taken into a nearby classroom by church leaders and told “you don’t fight on church grounds”.

Manly hooker Fainu is facing trial over an alleged stabbing at a Wattle Grove church.

Church youth leader and event organiser Christmas ‘Chris’ Nouata, told the court he saw Fainu, Faingaa and another man shouting and “using abusive words” towards Mr Levi on the dance floor prior to being kicked out.

He said Fainu was distinctive because he was the only person wearing his arm in a sling that night.

Mr Nuoata said he told the other security volunteers not to let the men back into the venue.

The Crown alleges Fainu, Faingaa and their friends left the premises but returned a short time later by jumping a side fence leading into the church carpark.

They approached a second group of men, which included Mr Levi, and the two groups began to brawl.

Mr Nouata told the court he saw Fainu and Faingaa punching Mr Levi.

He recalled hearing someone yell out “he’s got a knife” three times but said the lights in the church carpark had gone out at some stage during the brawl and he did not see who stabbed Mr Levi.

“Did you see Mr Fainu do anything?” defence lawyer Margaret Cunneen SC asked Mr Nouata.

“That time no, the lights were off … I couldn’t see, it was too dark,” he replied.

Mr Nouata said he saw Fainu, Faingaa and the third man run away as he called triple zero.The Crown will allege ‘Big Buck’ responded “alright alright, we’ll take it somewhere else then”.

Fainu, Big Buck and their friends then left the premises.

The court heard the group returned to the carpark a short time later, and accosted another group of men, which included Mr Levi.

The Crown will allege the confrontation descended into the violent brawl after one of Fainu’s friends was overheard to say “let’s go, let’s go”.

It’s alleged Fainu and his friends fled in a car following the stabbing, while Levi was treated at the scene by an off-duty nurse before being taken to Liverpool Hospital, where he was treated for a 2.5cm wound which had penetrated into his chest cavity, causing a collapsed lung and internal bleeding.

Fainu attended Liverpool Police Station four days later where he was arrested and charged.

In court on Tuesday, defence lawyer Margaret Cunneen SC said Fainu denied the charge against him.

Fainu was greeted by family members when he was earlier released from Parklea Correctional Centre on bail.

“Manase Fainu is not guilty of this charge,” she told the jury.

“There’s another version of events of what happened to what Madame Crown outlined to you.

“What’s in dispute is that Manase Fainu ever stabbed Mr Levi, in the back, in the eye, or any other place.”

Ms Cunneen said evidence will show it was “pitch black” in the carpark at the time of the stabbing and a lot of men were involved in the brawl.

“You’ll hear Mr Levi doesn’t know who stabbed him, [he] can’t tell you who it was,” she said.

The court heard Fainu and Mr Levi were not previously known to each other, with Ms Cunneen saying Fainu “had no fight or quarrel with anyone”.

The trial continues.