JUSTIN Fuller, the man accused of using two knives to stab his sister's partner, 50-year-old Guy Hamilton McCulloch, to death in a frenzied attack at Belmont South, will face a murder trial in Newcastle Supreme Court.
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Mr Fuller, 32, of Belmont North, was represented by barrister Terry Healey when he appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio visual link from Long Bay Correctional Centre on Wednesday.
He was committed for trial on charges of murder and manslaughter and will next appear in Sydney Supreme Court on August 2 when he will be arraigned, plead not guilty and get a trial date sometime in 2020.
Mr Fuller, through solicitor Iain Bruce, claimed in a bail application in Belmont Local Court in March that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed Mr McCulloch three times in the chest, abdomen and right forearm after Mr McCulloch had twice deliberately reversed his four-wheel-drive into Mr Fuller's partner's car.
What at first glance may have looked like a road rage incident in quiet Beach Street, Belmont South, was actually the culmination of years of bitter conflict between siblings, according to court documents.
Mr Fuller has for several years been involved in an ugly dispute with his sister, Kristy Duley, and Ms Duley's de facto partner, Mr McCulloch.
And on December 19 last year, the two parties are alleged to have crossed paths in Beach Street; Mr Fuller a passenger in a silver Holden Commodore sedan and Mr McCulloch the driver of a black Nissan Navara.
Words were exchanged and Mr Fuller approached Mr McCulloch's car on foot.
Mr Fuller argued with his sister and Mr McCulloch and then Mr McCulloch reversed his four-wheel-drive, colliding with the silver Holden Commodore behind him.
Mr Fuller's partner, Narelle Abercrombie, was seated in the driver's seat of the silver Commodore at the time.
The group kept arguing and then Mr McCulloch reversed his four-wheel-drive again, smashing into the silver Commodore for a second time.
Mr Fuller is then alleged to have run down Beach Street, away from the Pacific Highway, where he is accused of grabbing a backpack and two large knives.
The police were called and Mr McCulloch and Ms Duley left the scene, but then returned to Beach Street.
Mr Fuller is then alleged to have approached Mr McCulloch's car while he was seated in the driver's seat and stabbed him three times to the chest, abdomen and right forearm.
Mr Fuller then allegedly fled on foot to a home in Marriot Street where he was arrested in the shower.
