Manly NRL player accused of stab in back
Greta StonehouseAAP
July 26, 2022 1:47PM
TOPICS
Crime
Manly NRL hooker Manase Fainu wielded a steak knife outside a Mormon dance party in southwest Sydney where he allegedly stabbed a man in the back during a brawl, a jury has been told.
Fainu, 24, pleaded not guilty in the Parramatta District Court to wounding Fuamanu Levy with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and for two backup charges of affray and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.
The Crown opened its case on Tuesday against the footballer saying the alcohol-free function on October 25, 2019, at Wattlegrove was arranged by the Church of Latter Day Saints to raise funds for Jeans for Genes day.
CCTV footage is expected to show Fainu dressed in black with his arm recovering from shoulder surgery in a sling arriving with Jona Faingaa, known as "Big Buck", and others at about 11pm.
An argument broke out on the dancefloor and the DJ stopped playing music while Fainu, Big Buck and several others were ushered into a classroom where they were told "you don't fight on church grounds".
Fainu's group were escorted outside to ensure they left the party and one of them yelled "c'mon outside," to which Mr Levy asked them to please go home.
Mr Levy and his friends were hopping into a car to leave when Fainu's group approached them in the car park, the Crown said.
One of the men said "let's go, let's go" before walking up and punching another man in the face, and a brawl erupted.
One of Mr Levy's friends is expected to tell the court that he saw Fainu holding a steak knife with his right arm bent at a 90 degrees angle with his left arm still in the sling.
He then allegedly watched Fainu step forward and strike Mr Levy under the shoulder blade before moving towards his face and cutting him across the top of his eye.
Mr Levy then fell to the ground and yelled "stop fighting, I'm injured," while his alleged assailants ran away and jumped over the fence.
An off-duty nurse treated him before he was taken to hospital suffering from internal bleeding and a collapsed lung.
But defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC said the jury would hear another version of events that posits one simple but stark difference.
"What is in dispute is that Manase Fainu ever stabbed Mr Levy in the back or in the eye or in any other place," Ms Cunneen said.
"The scene of this event, this brawl was pitch black, and there were a lot of men involved and a lot of movement.
"And it was very, very quick.
"Mr Levy doesn't even know who stabbed him."
She said her client had never been charged with any violence prior to this incident, let alone faced a conviction.
The trial continues.
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