Body modification allegedly poisoned young mum’s blood: court

A NSW mum was found dead by her young daughter weeks after a snowflake implant left her with an “oozing” wound, a court has heard.

A BODY modifier, charged with manslaughter after a plastic snowflake he implanted in a NSW mother’s hand caused a fatal infection, is not a “predator” looking to “mutilate” people, a court has heard.

But he allegedly failed to tell his clients, including a woman who suffered through a botched “tummy tuck”, to seek medical help as they battled pain and infection.

Brendan Leigh Russell, 37, worked as a body modifier on the Central Coast until he was arrested over similar mutilation charges in May, Gosford Local Court heard today.

He was on bail when arrested yesterday and charged with the manslaughter of Samantha Hegyi and grievous bodily harm against Belinda Stewart.

Body modification artist Brendan Russell. Picture: Facebook/Instagram

Russell implanted the snowflake under Ms Hegyi’s right hand in early 2017, magistrate Bruce Williams read from police documents.

The 30-year-old mother visited Russell for other procedures in the past.

But she complained of pain in the days after the snowflake surgery and called Russell, who urged her to visit him rather than go to the hospital.

He reassured her that her hand was only “irritated”, even as he reopened the skin with a scalpel and the infection “oozed” out, the magistrate said.

He rotated the implant and inserted a second in the heavily infected hand, Mr Williams said.

The wounds were resealed but Ms Hegyi, also known by the surname Strickland, was found dead in her Toowoon Bay home by her seven-year-old daughter on April 12 last year.

An autopsy ruled her death as a result of blood poisoning, police say.

Russell sat silently in the dock today.

Two supporters — one with coloured eyeballs and another with multiple piercings and a lip spacer — watched the hearing along with Russell’s girlfriend.

His second alleged victim, 38-year-old Ms Stewart, visited Russell’s Erina tattoo and body modification business in late 2016 for a “tummy tuck”, Mr Williams noted.

She paid $800 to remove excess skin and Russell prescribed her Advil and Nurofen for the pain.

But by the evening she was bleeding and in “horrific pain”.

She called Russell who allegedly told her to stop taking the Nurofen and to revisit his business where he redressed her wounds.

She was eventually admitted to hospital, against her will, with a 5c-coin-sized hole in her skin and severed stomach muscles, the court heard. Russell refunded her the $800.

Defence lawyer Marc Riviere accused police of trawling through Mr Russell’s former clients to dredge up Ms Stewart’s case.

But the police prosecutor denied the allegation, assuring the court the second victim approached them to complain.

Mr Riviere also argued Mr Russell was not a “predator” who sought out people to “mutilate” but was rather approached and paid for his work.

Mr Williams denied Russell’s request for bail, noting his lengthy “self-promotion” as someone with surgical and anaesthetic expertise made him a danger for people he knew.

Russell is expected to return to the same court on October 12.

A star implanted into a man’s hand, similar to the procedure the woman allegedly had.