Connor Jack Lasserre accused of St George stabbing granted bail in Toowoomba Magistrates Court

The moments before, during, and after an alleged stabbing incident on the streets of a regional Queensland town at the weekend were revealed in court during a bail application made by the alleged attacker.

Connor Jack Lasserre. Picture: Social media

A court has been told racial tensions have reached boiling point in a regional Queensland town after an alleged “unprovoked” stabbing attack of First Nations residents which left three people with stab wounds.

The alleged attacker, 19-year-old Logan man Connor Jack Lasserre, was granted bail on Tuesday, July 16, after spending two nights in the watch-house, charged with three serious violence offences including two counts of wounding in a public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance and one count of act to cause grievous bodily harm.

The court was told Mr Lasserre was arrested minutes after he allegedly stabbed two men and a woman just after midnight on the streets of the southwest Queensland town of St George.

The alleged incident was caught on CCTV.

Logan man Connor Jack Lasserre arrested on July 13 following alleged stabbing in regional QLD. Picture: Social Media

The court was told during the bail application that Mr Lasserre, who had been visiting his sister, had been drinking at the St George Hotel Motel minutes before the incident on Henry St, on Saturday morning, July 13.

During his bail application, police alleged Mr Lasserre launched an unprovoked attack on Zachary Oliver, allegedly stabbing the 24-year-old in the nape of his back and hitting the base of his skull.

The court was told Mr Oliver, who received four additional stab wounds to his face, neck, thigh, and shoulder during a struggle, was lucky to be alive.

Two people who ran to Mr Oliver’s aid, a 35-year-old woman and 18-year-old man, also allegedly received multiple stab wounds.

The court was told one of the good Samaritans was allegedly stabbed in the ribs and was lucky the knife did not pierce their heart.

Prior to the stabbing the alleged offender was drinking at the St George Hotel Motel, before walking about 220m down the road where the incident occurred near a Commonwealth Bank ATM. Pictures: Google Maps

Mr Lasserre’s duty lawyer Michael Corbin said he did not know the victims and was “clearly” injured himself given his visible large black eyes.

Police prosecutor Chris Willson said it was by “sheer luck” that no one was killed or more seriously injured, and noted the shocking state of knife crimes across the state.

He said it was not yet known if any of the alleged victims caused Mr Lasserre’s black eyes, or if they were a result of the number of people who arrived on the scene to help the victims.

Mr Corbin told the court Mr Lasserre had no memory of the incident and did not have a knife, and if he were remanded in custody in prison, he was almost assured to have a target on his back.

Given Mr Lasserre’s complete lack of criminal history and the nature of the alleged crime, acting magistrate Patricia Kirkman-Scroope asked Mr Corbin if the teenager had a history of mental health problems.

Connor Jack Lasserre. Picture: Social media

The young man’s distraught mother told Mr Corbin from the public gallery that her son had become withdrawn and sad, however he was not diagnosed with any mental health disorders.

The man’s mother was willing to provide a $2000 assurance in favour of her son’s bail application, however Ms Kirkman-Scroope said it was not just for her to lose her savings as a result of her son’s alleged actions.

Ms Kirkman-Scroope said the alleged stabbing incident caused rising tensions within the First Nations community in St George which put Mr Lasserre at risk of retaliation.

She said although the alleged incident was seriously violent and unprovoked, strict bail conditions would mitigate any risk to the community, and though police seemed to have a strong case, forensic evidence may take up to seven months.

The Toowoomba courthouse, police station, and watch house. Picture: Peta McEachern

She noted the fact the young man had no criminal history was a “double-edged sword,” as it begged the question as to why such a young man would allegedly commit such a violent attack.

Mr Lasserre was granted bail to a Logan address with a curfew and reporting conditions, and he is not to return to St George unless need be for court.

He is also not allowed to have knives.

The charges of wounding in public while drunk and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, will next be before the St George Magistrates Court on August 14.