Man’s face slashed in alleged Cairns North attack

Officers have taken a man into custody who police allege is at the centre of a horrific knife attack on another man at known Cairns North itinerant hotspot.

Police were called to the corner of Sheridan and Grove streets Cairns North. Picture: Google Maps

Officers have taken a man into custody who police allege slashed another man across the face with a knife at a known Cairns North itinerant hotspot.

Responding to reports of a disturbance at the corner of Sheridan and Grove street, officers arrived at the scene at 12.30am on Friday.

The area out the front of the BESIX Watpac office across the road from the Cairns North Liquorland outlet often becomes a convergence zone of homeless people and Cairns Hospital patients.

Police allege an argument between two men who were known to each other escalated into a physical fight between a 31-year-old Bungalow man and a 52-year-old Aurukun man.

During the dust-up it’s alleged the Stephan Gideon Escott pulled a knife from the back of his trousers, held it to the throat of the older man and slashed the older man’s face.

The 52-year-old man sustained a significant non-life threatening facial injury and was taken by police to Cairns Hospital for medical treatment.

At 12.40am, officers located the 31-year-old man at the intersection of Sheridan and Charles streets, Cairns North, where he was arrested.

Cairns Child Protection Investigation Unit Detectives charged the 31-year-old man with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed.

Police bail was refused, and Mr Escott had his matter heard in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Friday.

Mr Escott did not appear in person and no bail was applied for.

The matter was adjourned until June 19 for a long plea.

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Originally published as Man’s face slashed in alleged Cairns North attack