Chilling details behind granny’s attempted murder

It’s the horror story you would expect in an Underbelly series. Read the explosive inside account behind the feud that saw two brothers linked to a notorious bikie gang attempt to end the life of a Queensland grandmother with knives. VIDEO

Methamphetamines addictions, links to a notorious Australian motorcycle gang and extreme hostility between two neighbouring families linked by a soured romantic relationship is normally the description of an Underbelly television series.

But, for one Queensland grandmother, it is the story behind a four-year extremely hostile neighbour feud that led to one man attempting to murder her in her own home while she was in bed.

The pain from severed nerves caused by 13 stab wounds is a constant reminder to Karen O’Donnell of the brutal attack in her own home in Capella, 250km west of Rockhampton.

Her attackers – two brothers who lived next door – were sentenced in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton.

Damon William Green, 32, and Jason Andrew Smith, 42, were sentenced to 10-year and three-year prison terms, respectively, after Green pleaded guilty to attempted murder and Smith pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Damon William Green repeatedly stabbed Ms O’Donnell in the inner left arm and both legs while she lay on the bed, kicking out at him.

Ms O’Donnell said she was sitting smoking on the back steps of her residence on the afternoon of May 27, 2021, and saw Green in the park “right next door”, talking on a phone while walking back and forth.

She said she overheard him say “the fat c--- is still there watching me”.

Ms O’Donnell said she saw him in the laneway of the back of their houses and heard a gate being shut “forcibly”.

She said she went down to the corner of her yard and saw Green walking back to his house with Smith running after him.

Ms O’Donnell said she went back into her house and locked the back screen door.

She said while lying on her bed at the other end of the house, she heard one of her family members yell “what the f--- are you doing in my house?” and then, after looking down the hallway towards the back door, saw two of her family members tackle Smith as Green headed towards her.

Karen O’Donnell said she saw Green raise a knife and she thought “no way”.

Ms O’Donnell said she saw Green raise a knife and she thought “no way”.

REPEATEDLY STABBED WHILE SHE LAY ON THE BED

Green repeatedly stabbed Ms O’Donnell in the inner left arm and both legs while she lay on the bed, kicking out at him.

She sustained five stab wounds to her upper body and eight to her lower body, ranging from three to eight centimetres deep, and requiring staples and stitches.

“Chillingly, as (Green) is doing all of this damage with the knife, Karen heard him say, “I will do 10 years for you. It will be worth it; killing you’,” Mr Phillips said.

Ms O’Donnell gave the same evidence through sobs and tears, and told the court she also heard him say he was going to return “to finish it” when he got out of jail.

Mr Phillips said the assault on Ms O’Donnell only stopped when the accused mens’ sister, Emma Green, intervened and threw a chair at Green. Ms Green is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Ms O’Donnell said her eldest son had dated Ms Green and they had a child together.

The court heard the neighbours’ relationships turned hostile after that relationship ended.

Green’s defence barrister Phil Hardcastle said his client’s father was a member of the Nomads motorcycle club in South Australia.

He said Green’s first name, Damon, was Nomads spelt backwards and he grew up believing he would take over his father’s role one day.

The court heard both Green and Smith had been abusing illicit drugs and alcohol most of their lives, with Smith’s criminal record scattered with possession of meth convictions for the past 20 years.

After the sentencing, Ms O’Donnell said: “That’s what he kept saying to me: 10 years. And he got 10 years.”

More to come.

Originally published as Chilling details behind granny’s attempted murder