By Erin Pearson
A knife attack at a popular Melbourne nightclub was allegedly prompted by a smirk before a man was stabbed and slashed more than a dozen times while on his hands and knees.
Marc Bounassif, 19, from Craigieburn, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to apply for bail. It was revealed in court that he allegedly stabbed the victim 13 times with a small knife as the man crouched on his hands and knees inside Prahran nightspot Revolver on September 15.
Marc Bounassif has been charged with intentionally causing serious injury.Credit: Facebook
A second man, who remains in custody, allegedly slashed the victim in the busy stairwell area with a machete before both fled out a rear door and into an Uber.
Senior Constable Liam Crowley said the victim spent five days in an induced coma recovering from his injuries and had only recently been released from The Alfred hospital after sustaining a punctured lung, a severed tendon and broken hand in the 4am scuffle.
Crowley said the incident had been captured on CCTV and further images had been obtained from the nightclub’s identification scanning program capturing those who entered the club.
The court heard Bounassif was, at the time of the incident, on bail for other alleged offending including assault with a weapon.
Police at the entrance to Revolver early on September 15.Credit: Nine News
“Immediately after the offence, the applicant and co-accused fled from the property to avoid apprehension at the time, then booked an Uber ... under a false name,” Crowley said.
“The accused has shown no remorse for offending and made concerted efforts to avoid police detection.”
Crowley said the injured man told police his two alleged attackers smirked at him, which had sparked a verbal altercation before the trio fell down a set of 10 to 15 stairs.
Police at the entrance to Revolver.Credit: Nine News
He said the CCTV footage showed Bounassif was the first to jump to his feet, with the victim attacked while he was still on the ground.
“When [the complainant] walks past the stairs, he states one of the accused smiles or smirks at him [which starts the altercation],” Crowley said.
“The complainant then falls to the bottom of the stairwell, and is on his hands and knees keeled over. Bounassif is about two to three metres away … then runs back towards him.”
Crowley said Bounassif was arrested at his family home days later, and police had seized ecstasy, cannabis and edged weapons from the property during a search.
The crime scene.Credit: Nine News.
The knife used in the attack, Crowley said, had not been found, but testing was under way on the second weapon allegedly used, a machete.
Defence lawyer Stephanie Gillahan argued her client should be bailed due to his young age, vulnerability in custody and being housed with significantly older prisoners.
But magistrate Brett Sonnet said consideration for bail was outweighed by the seriousness of the alleged offending.
“He went on the attack and he was armed with a knife,” Sonnet said. “Does he know how lucky he is to only be charged with intentionally causing serious injury? He could be sitting in the Supreme Court facing a murder charge.
“The carrying of knives is prevalent. Gratuitous violence between men is prevalent.”
Sonnet refused bail, with Bounassif making the shape of a love heart with his hands to communicate with family sitting in court.
Further details of the alleged offending contained in a police summary remain unknown after the magistrate refused to release its contents, telling the court he did not believe it was in the public interest to do so.
The detailed allegations were also not read onto the court record.
Bounassif is facing six charges, including intentionally causing serious injury, possessing a controlled weapon near a licensed premises, two counts of drug possession and failing to answer bail.
He is expected to return to court in December.
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