Police say a man who ferociously stabbed a brothel owner inside a car during an arranged meeting in western Sydney on Friday night is an ice user who had no money to pay for his drugs.
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Shane Gwilliam, 37, appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday charged with wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
The court heard the victim, Mario Vinski, 51, owns massage parlour Bare Bunnies in Mount Druitt.
Mr Vinski was stabbed at least 13 times in the head and torso but was not initially expected to survive.
In an electronically recorded interview with police while he was in an ambulance being rushed to hospital, Mr Vinski said Mr Gwilliam was a client of his brothel.
Shortly before 9.20pm on Friday night, Mr Gwilliam phoned Bare Bunnies and arranged to meet Mr Vinski in a poorly lit industrial area in Mount Druitt.
Mr Vinski said they met because he wanted to repay Mr Gwilliam a debt he owed; however, police said Mr Gwilliam wanted to buy methamphetamine, also known as ice. Four grams of ice was found in Mr Vinski's car in 0.2-gram satchels. Mr Gwilliam had no money to pay for the drugs and this was the likely motive for the attack, police said.
Mr Gwilliam allegedly produced a knife and "ferociously" stabbed Mr Vinski. He then went around to the driver's side of Mr Vinski's white Toyota Corolla and tried to drag him out of the car. When Mr Vinski resisted, Mr Gwilliam began stabbing him again. He then sped off in his maroon Mitsubishi Magna. Another man heard the commotion and found Mr Vinski bleeding on the ground just outside his car.
Mr Gwilliam told the court, via his lawyer, that he intended to plead not guilty. He said he was in the car but the stabbing was done by an unknown third man who must have been hiding in the back seat in Mr Vinski's car. He also denied being a drug user and said he had been employed consistently for more than 20 years until he lost his job three weeks ago.
The court heard Mr Vinski's injuries are severe and include a left pneumothorax and fractured C2 vertebrae caused by the knife penetrating his body.
He is expected to recover but may not regain full use of his arms.
Mr Gwilliam was arrested on Saturday night at his former de facto's home at Erskine Park.
He was refused bail and will reappear in Penrith Local Court on July 10.
