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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Sam Rigney

Man who stabbed two chefs outside brothel had 'fried his brain' on ice

A YOUNG man who stabbed two chefs in an unprovoked attack outside a Newcastle West brothel later told police he had no memory of what happened because he was "abusing the meth" and had "literally fried my brain".

Dominic Lagudi had turned 18 just two days before he stabbed the two Nepalese nationals, who were chefs at Newcastle's Sapphire Indian Restaurant, in Devonshire Street about 3.35am on January 19 this year.

He appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from jail where he pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and reckless wounding over the unprovoked and savage attack.

Lagudi will remain behind bars until he is sentenced in Newcastle District Court next year.

Lagudi, his girlfriend and another man drove into Newcastle about 3.20am and parked in King Street, according to an agreed statement of facts.

Lagudi and his girlfriend then walked down Devonshire Street, a narrow laneway between Hunter and King Street, and sat down outside the Asian Star brothel.

Meanwhile, the two chefs had just gotten out of an Uber and walked down the laneway before trying to gain access to the brothel.

Dominic Lagudi on Wednesday pleaded guilty to stabbing two chefs in a Newcastle West laneway.

They were nearby when Lagudi suddenly pulled out a small silver knife and pushed one of the chefs to the chest. He then punched the man in the face and when he backed away, Lagudi walked quickly towards him and stabbed him in the elbow.

Before being stabbed, the chef had called out to his friend for help and Lagudi then stabbed that man in the neck with the blade.

Lagudi then backed away, covered his face and ran. He got back into the boot of the car before being dropped at a park in New Lambton.

Meanwhile, the two chefs were bleeding profusely and cowering in an alcove in the laneway.

Eventually, the chefs emerged and stood on Hunter Street until a passing police car and ambulance stopped to help them.

The two chefs were taken to hospital where the man who had been stabbed in the neck had to be intubated and undergo surgery to stop the wound from compromising his airway.

He had suffered a three centimetre laceration to his neck, while his friend had sustained a 12.5cm cut to his forearm.

Lagudi and his girlfriend were arrested at a unit block in Jesmond in March and Lagudi was later interviewed about the stabbing.

"F--- knows," Lagudi replied. "I was f---ed up."

Lagudi said he had just turned 18 and was "abusing the meth" and said he had "literally fried my brain".

Lagudi's girlfriend was represented by solicitor Lauren O'Brien when she appeared in court on Wednesday.

After the DPP withdrew two serious stabbing charges, she pleaded not guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence and will face a hearing in Newcastle Local Court in July.

Specialist forensic police examining the scene of a stabbing in Newcastle West in January. On Wednesday, Dominic Lagudi pleaded guilty to the attack. Picture by Simone De Peak
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