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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Attempted murder charge dropped over Merewether home invasion stabbing

PROSECUTORS have dropped an attempted murder charge against the teenager accused of stabbing Merewether man Daniel Lowe six times during a home invasion last year.

The boy, who is now 15, is alleged to have been in a group of teenagers who were looking to steal a car when they twice forced their way into a home in Coane Street in the early hours of September 19.

Mr Lowe had come into the house from the back shed to protect his elderly mother after hearing her screams during the initial break-in.

When the teenagers allegedly broke in again a short time later, Mr Lowe suffered four stab wounds to the stomach and was left fighting for his life in an induced coma.

His 75-year-old mother Nadine was also stabbed, but suffered only minor injuries.

Four of the teenagers charged over the break-ins and stabbings appeared in Broadmeadow Children's Court on Monday, with prosecutors finalising the charges against the group.

Court documents reveal the now 15-year-old boy has had an attempted murder charge dropped over the stabbing of Mr Lowe and prosecutors have also withdrawn a charge of reckless wounding in company over the stabbing of Mrs Lowe.

Instead, the boy will face charges of specially aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence, aggravated break and enter and reckless wounding when the matters are ultimately committed to the NSW District Court.

Police at the scene in Merewether on Tuesday after Daniel Lowe was stabbed in the stomach. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police combed Bar beach for evidence after a man was allegedly stabbed in the stomach at Merewether. Picture by Simone De Peak
Forensic officers closed Coane Street for hours as they gathered clues to the alleged home invasion in the early hours of Tuesday. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police marked stains on the concrete as part of their inquiries. Picture by Simone De Peak
Officers searched the sand during a busy morning on the beach stretch. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the scene for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the scene for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
A trail of blood remained on Watkins Street. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the scene for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the scene for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the beach for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the beach for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police comb the beach for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak
Police are now combing nearby Dixon Park beach moving towards Bar beach reportedly looking for the weapon used in the attack.
Police were told four people forced entry to the home before two occupants confronted the group. Picture by Max McKinney
Police are now combing nearby Dixon Park beach moving towards Bar beach reportedly looking for the weapon used in the attack.
Police are now combing nearby Dixon Park beach moving towards Bar beach reportedly looking for the weapon used in the attack.
Police comb the scene for evidence after a man was stabbed in the stomach overnight. Picture by Simone De Peak

The other teenagers - two other boys accused of breaking into the home and a girl who allegedly helped dispose of the knife and a shirt belonging to the boy accused of the stabbing - also had their charges finalised on Wednesday.

The teenagers will next appear in Broadmeadow Children's Court in July when they could enter pleas.

According to court documents, the now 15-year-old allegedly began the crime spree that would end in Mr Lowe's stabbing earlier on the night of September 18 last year.

He allegedly stole a man's wallet and the contents of his jacket at The Hill about 8pm and then tried to break into a car at Merewether about 1am.

It was about 1.50am when he allegedly tried to break into a home in Ranclaud Street at Merewether, looking to steal a car despite knowing people were asleep inside.

By 2am, the teenager and the others had allegedly moved around the corner into Coane Street and broken into the home, where they were disturbed by Mrs Lowe.

They fled outside, where prosecutors said there was a "meeting" between the group and then three boys allegedly broke back into the home.

They were confronted by Mr Lowe and he was stabbed six times in the abdomen and legs, requiring surgery to repair lacerations to his liver and lungs.

Five teenagers were arrested nearby a short time later, but the boy accused of the stabbing was not picked up until 11.40am when police went to his home at Raymond Terrace.

The teenagers - aged between 13 and 15 - were predominantly from the Raymond Terrace area, have issues with drugs and alcohol, had not been attending school and, in at least two cases, were on bail for other offences and subject to a curfew to keep them at home overnight, the children's court previously heard.

The home invasion and stabbing rocked the beach side community of Merewether and occurred during a spate of break-ins around that area.

Magistrate Andrew Eckhold said last year it had been his experience as the children's court magistrate that teenagers had been breaking into homes in the area to steal expensive cars and then engaging, often deliberately, in police pursuits, a pattern he said was "deeply concerning".

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