By Perry Duffin and Amber Schultz
The man accused of going on a stabbing rampage in southern Sydney has been charged with eight offences including intent to murder his partner, as it was revealed one brave bystander suffered a 20cm laceration in the attack.
Police have confirmed Antony Benson, 58, is the man who allegedly slashed his partner in his car with a box cutter and attacked five others, including a police officer, who came to the woman’s aid on Sunday morning.
Several bystanders stepped in to help subdue the alleged attacker Antony Benson and help the injured woman in the car.Credit: Nine News
Video obtained by Nine News show a number of bystanders, including a man holding a short pole and a woman with a towel, confronting Benson as he circled the car with the injured woman still inside.
On Monday afternoon, police charged Benson with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder his partner. Police previously said they believe he stabbed the woman in her 40s, whom he was in a relationship with, before crashing his car.
Benson was charged with reckless wounding of a bystander causing an alleged 20cm laceration in his abdomen, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and reckless wounding in attacking another at the scene.
Benson tried to flee with a police officer in pursuit and has been charged with wounding a person with the intent to resist arrest after allegedly causing a laceration requiring stitches to the constable’s left arm.
Benson, who has lived in Sutherland and in the city’s west, was tasered by the injured officer at the scene and taken into custody.
He has also been charged with affray by threatening unlawful violence toward multiple victims, causing those present at the scene to fear for their safety.
In addition, Benson faces charges of dangerous driving occasioning bodily harm after his white Jaguar was captured on CCTV allegedly driving on the wrong side of Old Bush Road, driving through an intersection and hitting a blue sedan on the highway, and failing to stop and render assistance to his partner and the second driver, who suffered a broken wrist.
He is under police guard in Liverpool Hospital and will undergo surgery for his injuries.
He did not apply for bail, and it was formally refused by Magistrate Philip Stewart in the Sutherland Local Court.
Benson’s potential release application will be heard in that court on Thursday, and his matter is scheduled at Downing Centre Court on October 22.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and the Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) for people aged 5 to 25.
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