THE MAN accused of breaking into a home at Windale and repeatedly stabbing a 49-year-old man in the face and chest while he lay in bed was on bail for allegedly sexually and indecently assaulting the man's two teenage daughters, according to court documents.
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Jason Lanesbury, also known as Jason McGovern, 36, of Valentine, appeared in Belmont Local Court via audio visual link from jail on Wednesday charged with attempted murder and two counts of contravening an apprehended violence order.
Mr Lanesbury, a truck driver, is accused of jumping a fence at the rear of a property at Windale about 1.40am on Friday morning and then using a knife to cut through a fly screen on a window at the back of a home.
He then allegedly walked through the home, entered the bedroom of a 49-year-old man and closed the door behind him.
Mr Lanesbury, who police say had a hooded jumper covering his head and was wearing yellow gloves, is accused of turning on the light and then stabbing the man three times in the chest and once in the face.
The alleged victim put his arms up to protect himself and started screaming, waking a woman and three children inside the home.
The woman told police she opened the 49-year-old's bedroom door and saw him lying on his back, his arms up over his head and a large amount of blood on the bed.
Mr Lanesbury allegedly fled the home on foot and disappeared.
Police arrived a short time later and asked the 49-year-old man who was responsible for the attack.
Detectives allege he replied "Jason McGovern", who police say was a former neighbour of the man and, up until recently, regularly socialised with the family.
The 49-year-old man was taken to John Hunter Hospital by ambulance in a critical condition suffering multiple stab wounds to his face and chest.
Police say he lost a "considerable amount of blood" and required an urgent blood transfusion before undergoing surgery.
A Hunter New England Health spokesman confirmed on Wednesday that the man had been discharged from hospital.
Detectives began searching for Mr Lanesbury and were at his workplace at Adamstown about 8.20am on Friday when he arrived in a vehicle.
He was arrested and taken to Belmont police station, where he participated in an interview and provided "limited information about his whereabouts at the time of the offence", police said in court documents.
Mr Lanesbury, who was represented by Legal Aid solicitor Julie Fleming, did not apply for bail on Wednesday and the matter was adjourned until May 8.
