A NEWCASTLE bodyboarder has told of his constant fear and flashbacks after he was knifed at a holiday park near Forster nearly two years ago.
Billy Jo James Brown, 37, faced a sentence hearing in Taree District Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.
His victim Ryan Duck told the court in an impact statement that his life had forever changed when he was stabbed at Pacific Palms on the night of November 28, 2022.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about and feel the consequences of Brown's violent actions," he said.
"It's a day-to-day struggle living in fear for myself and my family's safety ... I'm constantly having flashbacks of the attack and the perpetrator's face."
Mr Duck said he suffered "excruciating" pain from his injuries - including lacerations to his liver, spleen, arm, diaphragm and stomach - which saw him airlifted to John Hunter Hospital to undergo surgery.
Brown, who has a history of mental illness, was called to give evidence in court on Thursday.
He said during cross-examination that he was "sorry that it happened" but claimed he was "scared for his life" after approaching Mr Duck and his friends as they fished by a river.
The court heard Brown had then been watching Duck and his group, before the violent stabbing outburst.
Brown has been in custody since his arrest in the hours after the stabbing.
His defence barrister argued "he's done enough time" and said Brown had tried to "tell his truth".
Crown prosecutor Kristy Mulley said the offending was serious and that Brown had shown no remorse, despite hearing Mr Duck's emotional victim impact statement moments earlier.
"He was anything but an impressive witness ... his answers were very self-centric," she said.
Judge Penelope Wass will hand down her judgment on October 25.
Brown also pleaded guilty to staking or intimidating, custody of a knife in a public place, and impersonating a police officer, which stemmed from comments made to Duck just before the stabbing.
