A man awaiting sentencing over a botched armed hold-up at a Port Stephens club, during which a staff member's face was slashed with a hunting knife, will face court again on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Rhys James Allen pleaded guilty to reckless wounding and aggravated break and enter committing a serious indictable offence in December, following the incident at Shoal Bay Country Club last April that left a man in need of nine stitches.
Allen was expected to receive a sentence date in Newcastle district court on Tuesday, but his legal representative asked for a day's adjournment so the matter could be dealt with alongside his co-accused Sean Sawyer.
According to facts tendered to the court, Allen walked into the club wearing a full face motorcycle helmet - knife in hand - just after 1.15pm on April 30, 2018.
He went straight to the gaming room, where Sawyer had taken a seat near a poker machine a few minutes earlier.
Allen got into the cash office through a closed but unlocked door. The room was unoccupied at the time. He pulled the cash register drawer so hard that the cable joining it to the register broke.
He took the drawer, containing almost $5000, outside to where his motorcycle was waiting - but he could not get the bike started while the cash was balancing on the fuel tank.
As he was trying to get the vehicle started, an off duty staff member from the club approached him.
Allen warned the man off, but when he continued to approach, Allen swung the hunting knife at the man's face causing a large and deep laceration near the man's left eye.
Read more: Police and court news
Allen fled on foot, leaving the motorcycle and cash at the scene.
Court documents noted that security cameras at the club captured most of the incident.
The injured staff member was taken to John Hunter Hospital, where he received nine stitches for his wound.
A police dog unit tracked Allen's movements to nearby bushland, where they found the helmet he had been wearing, the knife, his shoulder bag and his right shoe.
Officers spoke to Allen at Nelson Bay later that night. He gave them an alibi that later proved false.
Police used DNA testing from the helmet and shoe to match up with Allen, who was arrested and charged on May 24.
In the news:
