Geelong couch surfer Milner Monks slashes man with knife amid ketamine confusion, court hears

An argument over whether a woman was given ketamine or MDMA descended into a violent attack that left a man with a 15 centimetre stab wound, a court has heard.

An argument over whether drugs were ketamine or MDMA spurred two men into attacking another with a knife and an onslaught of punches.

Milner Graham Monks, 34, faced the Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled weapon, intentionally causing injury and theft.

In the early hours of New Year’s Day, Monks, who was couch surfing in Geelong West at the time, was accused of slashing a man with a knife after his co-accused punched the victim, fell on top of him and kept attacking him.

The victim sustained a 15cm laceration to the left side of his chest.

Milner Graham Monks, 34, faced the Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled weapon, intentionally causing injury and theft.

The court heard that, earlier in the night, a separate person had allegedly been “pressured” into taking ketamine while under the impression it was methamphetamine. A bad reaction to the drugs left her “lethargic and sick”.

CCTV footage later caught Monks putting his arm around his co-accused as they walked towards a neighbouring complex and showing him the knife. He then concealed the weapon in his pocket while the men entered the building.

Another man who followed them started arguing with the co-accused about the drug mix-up. This quickly escalated into the start of the violent attack.

After he was arrested, Monks told police he “couldn’t remember the incident”.

He was also charged and pleaded guilty to stealing a $50 bottle of Jim Beam.

Magistrate John Bentley acknowledged that Monks had already spent 109 days in custody and had completed a number of educational programs.

His defence lawyer added that Monks has been involved in a “peer support person” program in the prison to younger offenders.

Monks was sentenced to 100 days in prison for the offending.

“The time spent in custody is adequate and let’s hope he has learnt something from the programs that he has managed to do,” Mr Bentley said.

Monks will be returning to the Geelong Magistrates Court on charges of making a threat to kill, reckless cause injury and introduce drugs to another.

His lawyer indicated that Monks would be entering a plea of not guilty.

Monks’ co-accused will face his charges in early August.

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Originally published as Geelong couch surfer Milner Monks slashes man with knife amid ketamine confusion, court hears