Accused Woolies stabber Jikany Puoch to face a County Court trial over alleged supermarket stabbing
A man accused of stabbing two people in a terrifying daylight attack outside a Berwick supermarket that left one man hospitalised has been directed to stand trial.
South East
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A man who allegedly stabbed two shoppers outside a Berwick Woolies during an “erratic” episode where he was waving a mop at the public has been directed to stand trial in the County Court.
Jikany Puoch, 30, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 12, facing 11 charges including two counts of intentionally causing injury, and two counts of recklessly using a knife to stab (a person) in the chest placing person in danger of death, possessing a prohibited weapon and criminal property damage.
The court heard emergency services had received multiple calls to 000 at the time of the incident.
After the alleged attack, bystanders carried out a citizen’s arrest before police arrived at the scene.
In court on Monday, police alleged Mr Puoch had been behaving erratically, “waving a mop” at shoppers outside the store before the alleged incident.
The two alleged victims had approached Mr Puoch, before one “lightly tapped” him to the back of the head with a shopping bag.
Senior Constable Mark Barker referred to CCTV footage of the alleged incident, saying Mr Puoch escalated and allegedly grabbed the knife following the tap.
The court heard one of the alleged victims had been rushed to The Alfred after he sustained internal injuries, including lacerations to the liver, stomach and diaphragm, which required surgery to repair.
Magistrate Ross Maxted ordered Mr Puoch — who appeared from the Metropolitan Remand Centre via video link — to stand trial after deeming there to be “sufficient evidence” for a properly instructed jury to convict him of all charges.
Mr Puoch did not make an application for bail and will return to court on June 10.
