Manase Fainu: NRL rising star ‘ended’ wild brawl over alleged stabbing

Faine, 24, is fighting allegations that he stabbed Fermanu Levy in the back during a brawl in front of a Mormon church dance about three years ago.

The Manly Sea Eagles hooker pleaded not guilty to injuring a person with intent to cause serious bodily harm after Levis was stabbed in the back near the shoulder blade and cut above his right eye.

Faine’s trial is in its final stages, and Royal Prosecutor Emma Curran used Tuesday’s final filing to tell the court she saw Faine stabbing Levi, according to a witness. pointed out the evidence.

Faine said in his testimony that he was not involved in the brawl that broke out between two cars parked in the parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wattle Grove, southwest of Sydney.

In testimony on Monday, Faine said he was about 10 to 12 meters away from a fight between his friend and another group of men when he heard someone shouting “knives, knives.”

He had shoulder surgery a month ago and had his left arm slinged on October 25, 2019.

Tony Quack said he was able to identify him by the sling after seeing Faine stabbing his friend Levi.

Quack said in evidence that Faine did not start the fight, but stabbed Levi and “he ended it.”

“Manase Fainu jumped over the fence and into the church grounds. He was with four friends and their group approached Mr Levi and his friends,” Karan said. I was.

“When a brawl broke out and things seemed to get out of hand, Mr. Faine drew a knife and thrust it into Mr. Levy’s back, causing a wound that punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding.

Quack said he saw Fainu looking angry, holding a knife in his right hand and bending his arm at a 90-degree angle.

It doesn’t matter that Mr. Faine was in the parking lot with his left arm in a sling and that there was a scuffle in which Mr. Levy was stabbed before Mr. Faine climbed the wall again and ran to his car.

However, the identity of Levi’s attacker is disputed.

Another man, Kupi Toilalo, said he saw a man with a bandaged left arm and a knife approaching him and his friends.

“When Kupi saw this, he was at arm’s length from the person with the knife and there was nothing blocking his view,” Ms. Karan said.

Faine told jurors on Monday he was “scary” because he knew he wouldn’t be able to defend himself if he got into a fight.

He denied brandishing the 10cm steak knife used to stab Mr. Levy, and said he did not see his friend with a weapon that night.

Levi underwent surgery after a puncture wound pierced his lung and caused internal bleeding.

Fainu said he went to the church because his friend, Woona “Big Money” Fainugaa, was trying to recover money he had borrowed from a man.

The court was told that two of Fainu’s friends got into an argument on the dance floor before the brawl and were asked to leave.

Fainu said he left the church grounds while his companions were being escorted, apologizing to the security guards en route.

CCTV footage showed Faine and four of his friends shortly thereafter jumping over the fence from Coles’ parking lot and back onto the church grounds.

Mr. Faine testified that he had told his friends that he would go inside to collect Mr. Feinger’s money himself. But they chased him.

Attorney Margaret Canine SC said the distinctive nature of Mr. Faine’s sling identified him as being present during the brawl, but that all witnesses mistakenly believed him to be the stabber. Stated.

“Mr Manase Fainu is a man who has never been in trouble by any kind of violence before,” Kanine said.

“He didn’t stab Mr. Levi. No one condoned what happened to Mr. Levi. It’s horrible.”

The jury will retire to consider its verdict after Mr. Cunneen’s final submission is delivered.

The trial continues before Judge Nanette Williams.

first published as How NRL rising star Manase Faine ‘ended’ bloody brawl: court