Kaspar Hansman’s sentence for bloody Howard Springs, Muirhead rampage delayed

A Muirhead man who stabbed five people in two frenzied attacks will remain on remand after critical evidence went missing. Find out what was lost here.

Kaspar Hansman pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to two stabbing rampages and a dramatic police pursuit, which injured five people in 2021. Picture: Che Chorley

Critical evidence explaining a Darwin drug dealer’s psychosis following a bloody rampage has gone missing.

Kaspar Hansman pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to two stabbing rampages and a dramatic police pursuit, which injured five people in 2021.

But two months after entering his plea, the 29-year-old Estonian remains on remand as doctors search for missing medical documents.

The court previously heard Hansman’s 12-months of violence began when he was dumped by a 30-year-old woman he was casually dating in early 2021.

Hansman was seeing Giovanna Balzaretti for a month and a half, but she ended the relationship before her boyfriend Benjamin Kellett was released from prison in March 2021.

The jilted Hansman made sure the lover’s happy reunion was short-lived, creeping into the naked sleeping couple’s Howard Springs home the same night of Mr Kellett’s release.

The couple were woken by the growl of their dog at 3am, as the silhouette of the large man flashed by their window.

Northern Territory Supreme Court Justice Jenny Blokland is overseeing the case of a man who harmed five people.

Hansman was wielding a serrated curved knife above his head as he barged into their home.

The 27-year-old slashed at Mr Kellett’s arm as he tried to barricade himself in the bathroom for protection.

The court heard blood splattered the walls and floor as the knife carved into Mr Kellett’s arm.

Hansman then lunged at his ex-lover after Ms Balzaretti hit him with a baseball bat, with her screams waking their neighbour Nicole Siebert who ran in to help.

As the two women tried to dodge Hansman’s blade, Mr Kellett sprinted off to find help — screaming, bleeding and naked into the night.

Five days later, Hansman returned armed with a Bolt action rifle and told the women: “If you talk to the police, I will kill you. You’ve got family members and I’ll kill them too.”

Eight months later, Hansman plunged a 15cm knife into the body of his two Muirhead neighbours on December 12.

Hansman repeatedly stabbed Alongkorn Khanthongcam and stomped him as he lay on the ground, before slashing Jakkree Canachai in the groin.

When the specialist Territory Response Group swarmed to his home, Hansman drove his car into officers forcing them to jump out of the way.

Police uncovered a clandestine drug laboratory inside the Muirhead home, recovering $1790 in cash, a trafficable quantity of MDMA, 7.39g of testosterone cypionate and cutting agents.

Hansman was captured the next day in Alawa.

Defence lawyer Shane McMaster said Hansman was “adamant” that immediately after his arrest in Alawa he was taken to a mental health ward.

In November, Hansman pleaded guilty to 11 charges related to the two days of terror and the Murihead drug den, including causing serious harm, endangering serious harm, attempting to pervert the course of justice, dangerous driving, damage to property, unlawful entry, possessing drugs and manufacturing equipment.

On Monday, defence lawyer Shane McMaster said Hansman was “adamant” that immediately after his arrest in Alawa he was taken to a mental health ward.

Mr McMasters said Hansman said he spent two weeks at either Joan Ridley or the Cowdy ward — but there was no record of his stay.

Mr McMaster said there was a “lack of causality” between Hansman’s psychiatric condition and his initial stabbing rampage, but the medical documents could provide some light to his attack on his neighbours.

“In around the time of that offending … (Hansman reported) having paranoia or persecutory ideation,” he said.

“It’s potentially something that would be an important factor (for sentencing).”

Mr McMasters said the medical documents were requested, but 26 days later “that material hasn’t been forthcoming”.

Prosecutor Marty Aust said regardless of the report, Hansman was likely facing “a very, very significant term of imprisonment”. Picture Julianne Osborne

Justice Jenny Blokland said it was “unusual” the documents were taking so long to locate, particularly as Hansman was reportedly moved directly from the ward to Darwin prison.

Ms McMasters said Hansman, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, spent about five months in the prison’s Complex Behavioural Unit.

Prosecutor Marty Aust said regardless of the report, Hansman was likely facing “a very, very significant term of imprisonment”.

Mr Aust was sceptical that the documents from his two-week stint in the mental health ward — “if it exists” — would change the ultimate sentence.

Justice Blokland adjourned the February 16 for sentencing submissions, pending the disclosure of the medical documents.