Man found guilty of near-fatal stabbing in dispute over $50 drug debt

A man has been found guilty of stabbing a former school mate, leaving blood spurting from his neck and his bowel exposed, over an alleged drug debt.

Mark John Walters, 48, stabbed former school mate Gavin Thomas Greene with a knife during the altercation at Walters’s unit in Mount Gambier on January 2, 2021.

Walters, now of Roxby Downs, was tried in the Mount Gambier District Court, after pleading not guilty to an aggravated charge of intentionally causing serious harm, claiming he acted in self defence.

After a six-day trial and hours of deliberation, the jury handed down a unanimous guilty verdict this afternoon.

Victim left with serious injuries

Police officers who attended the scene gave evidence last week, telling the court blood was spurting from Mr Greene’s neck and his bowel was hanging out.

Mr Greene suffered wounds to his neck and abdomen and was treated at Mount Gambier hospital, where he had a foot of his bowel removed during surgery, the court heard.

A doctor that attended to Mr Greene told the court the injuries would have endangered his life, had they not been operated upon.

Mr Greene told the court he gave Walters a “scoop” of methamphetamine worth about $50 in late 2020, expecting Walters would pay him back in money or drugs.

Text messages between the pair were read in court, including a message sent by Mr Greene on December 31, 2020, telling Walters he would “kick the f*** out of” him.

The following day, Walters sent a message calling Mr Greene a “coward” and to “come and say s*** to my face”.

Mr Greene told the court he was unarmed when he attended Walters’ home, intending to discuss the debt, just a few minutes after Walters texted Mr Greene telling him to “shove that [scoop] up your a**”.

Under cross examination by defence counsel Nick Vadasz, Mr Greene said although he was upset when he received the message, he had “completely calmed down” by the time he reached Walters’s unit.

An altercation began at the front of the unit, where Walters kicked a hole in his own front door, and continued inside, lasting for two to three minutes, with both men exchanging blows, the jury heard.

Self-defence claim rejected

Mr Greene told the court during the altercation he noticed blood splashing over Walters.

He then walked out of the unit to end the confrontation.

Mr Greene said he told Walters he “better go and get checked out”, to which Walters replied that Mr Greene should get himself checked out.

Mr Greene then collapsed in the car park in front of the unit.

A triple-0 call made by Walters — in which he told the operator he stabbed Mr Greene when he came to the door, to protect himself — was played for the court.

Walters also flagged down police officers as they arrived at the scene. 

The handle of a knife found at the scene had DNA from both Walters and Mr Greene detected on it, and a bloody blade was found on the porch of Walters’ unit, the court heard.

Walters declined to take the witness stand during the trial.

He will be sentenced at a later date.

Loading