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Manase Fainu: NRL rising star jailed, convicted of church stabbing

NRL young gun Manase Fainu has been jailed as he awaits sentencing over the stabbing of a Mormon church youth leader during a wild and bloody brawl.

A jury took just two hours to find Fainu guilty of plunging a steak knife into the back of Faamanu Levi at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Wattle Grove in October, 2019.

The Crown prosecution made a detention application for Fainu to be sent to prison after he was found guilty of one count of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years.

Defense barrister Margaret Cunneen SC previously flagged to the court the verdict would be appealed.

Judge Nanette Williams on Monday morning ordered the Manly Sea Eagles hooker to be taken into custody ahead of a sentence hearing later in the year.

During his trial, the court heard that one man Tony Quach had seen Fainu stab Mr Levi in ​​the back near his right shoulder blade during a late-night brawl in the church’s parking lot between two parked cars.

Another man, Kupi Toilalo, told the jury that he saw a man approach him and his friends with his left arm in a sling holding a knife.

It was not in dispute Fainu had undergone shoulder surgery a month earlier and had his arm in the sling at the time.

Fainu has been stood down from the NRL since the incident and has not played the last three seasons.

During the trial he denied playing any part in the stabbing or the brawl, claiming he stood back 10m because he was scared.

He said he began back-pedaling because he feared for his safety when he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.

Ms Cunneen told the court on Monday Fainu should be able to remain on bail after he had suffered an “enormous” and “unthinkable downfall”.

She said he needed time to adjust mentally and prepare financially for when he will be sentenced at a later date.

Ms Cunneen also tended to a character reference from Manly coach Des Hasler, who watched proceedings via audio visual link.

“This young man, Mr Fainu, had the promise of a most extraordinary football career ahead of him and that has been smashed,” Ms Cunnen said.

“Everyone would be entitled to say through his own fault he lost that.

“The necessary punishment the court must impose will also bring about the most extraordinary extra-curial punishment, that is the end of what had promised to be an extraordinary, exceptional stellar career in what Mr Hasler has described as the hardest game in the world. ”

The court heard he had previously battled prescription drug addiction and entered into rehabilitation.

His counselor Jan Earl told the court on Monday that Fainu had suffered a mental episode over the weekend, which involved him shaking uncontrollably, was being monitored by a mental health team and had to be prescribed anti-anxiety medication.

Ms Earl said that Fainu was feeling “great shame and remorse” and suffering depression, intrusive thoughts and suicidal ideation.

Ms Cunneen said that two of Fainu’s brothers, who were contracted to Manly, had paid his legal fees after the club advanced them money from their 2023 contracts

She argued he needed to make mental preparations to go into custody and ease the financial burden on his family, having been offered work as a laborer.

However Crown prosecutor Emma Curran said none of that amounted to special or exceptional circumstances.

During Fainu’s trial, the court heard that prior to the brawl, two of his friends – including Uona “Big Buck” Faingaa – were involved in an altercation on the church dance floor and escorted out.

Fainu told the jury he went to church dance with four of his friends because Mr Faingaa was seeking to collect money owed to him by a man for a concreting job.

He said he left the church grounds as his mates were being escorted out and apologized to a security guard for his friends’ behavior as he exited.

CCTV played to the jury showed Fainu, with his arm in a sling, jump the fence from an adjoining Coles car park back into the church grounds shortly before the brawl.

Fainu testified that he had told his friends that he would go inside to collect Mr Faingaa’s money by himself, however they followed him over.

Fainu told Ms Curran during his evidence he jumped the fence despite admitting that he could have walked back in the front gate.

More to eat.

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Jarryd Hayne: Ex-NRL star was back in court, cheeky Instagram post

Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne has shared a cheeky Instagram post with his wife, just a day before his lawyers argued to have his bail conditions relaxed.

The former footy legend did not appear in Sydney’s Downing Center District Court on Friday as his lawyer applied to have the conditions changed ahead of a long wait to face a jury.

However, he had been active on social media in the lead up to the court matter, posting a cheeky Instagram post with his wife Amellia Bonnici.

Ms Bonnici shared a photo which revealed the former Parramatta Eels fullback had eaten several heart-shaped chocolates behind her back.

“Didn’t want to eat them all,” the Instagram post read with a thinking emoji, tagging her husband.

Mr Hayne re-posted the story with a caption: “Helping you eat clean.”

Defense solicitor Lauren MacDougall faced court on Friday morning on behalf of the former footy star, changing his bail conditions so he no longer had to report to police.

Mr Hayne did not appear in court.

Up until April, he was required to report to Merrylands Police Station three times a week, where it was relaxed to just once.

Judge Timothy Gartelmann on Friday granted Ms McDougall’s application, which was unopposed by the crown.

Mr Hayne has consistently denied the allegations.

In March, the Director of Public Prosecutions announced it would elect to try Mr Hayne a third time

The trial is set to be held at Sydney’s Downing Center District Court starting on March 6 next year.

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Marc Bargero: Former Aussie boxing champion facing jail

Former Australian boxing champion Marc Bargero is fighting to avoid being sent to jail after being found guilty of drunkenly sexually assaulting a teenage girl as she slept.

Bargero contested allegations he had performed an oral sex act on the 15-year-old girl after putting her to bed, however was found guilty after facing a judge-alone trial earlier this year.

Bargero confessed to “sniffing” the girl’s crotch in an attempt to relive his first sexual experience, but had denied he had licked the girl’s vagina.

The court was told during his trial that Bargero was visiting a woman at her home on Sydney’s northern beaches when the teen arrived with a group of other youths.

When the girl passed out after drinking alcohol, Bargero took her upstairs and placed her on a bed.

The court was previously told he returned a short time later, moved the girl towards the edge of the bed, pulled her pants down, got on her knees, kissed her stomach and licked her vagina.

The girl woke up and fled downstairs, crying and saying: “I just woke up and he was just eating me out.”

In an interview with police, Bargero told officers he wanted to relive his first sexual experience, where he would get under a table and “sniff” an older woman.

“I had my head down there but I was just sniffin’ it,” Bargero told police, the court previously heard.

“I got carried away at the moment, I got a bit too drunk.”

He stated that he had not touched the girl’s vagina.

However, Judge Tim Gartelmann accepted the girl’s evidence and noted that due to his level of intoxication, Bargero could not remember all he did that night.

Bargero was found guilty of sexual intercourse without consent and intentionally sexually touching the girl.

During a sentence hearing on Friday afternoon, his barrister Stephen Russell said he had shown considerable contrition, despite pleading not guilty and fighting the allegations.

Mr Russell said Bargero had experienced significant “public shame and humiliation” through social media and the media.

The court heard that during his police interview he had asked officers if he could meet with the complainant and her family to apologize for his actions.

He had also offered to plead guilty to lesser charges, however it was rejected by the prosecution.

Mr Russell said Bargero had been “through the ringer” in life, had suffered mental illness and depression and had to be hospitalized and medicated following the death of his mother.

He submitted that Bargero could serve his sentence by way of a community corrections order or intensive corrections order, pointing to his lack of criminal history.

“He’s a man who had no history of anything like this,” Mr Russell said.

“People speak of him being respectful. The evidence given before your honor by a female witness indicated that he was very respectful towards women.

“This event must be seen as… a complete aberration. And he knows that himself.

“He was offended by his own behavior that he believed he had committed at that time, he stressed it so profoundly in both interviews.”

However, the crown prosecution submitted he should be jailed, with Judge Gartelmann to decide his fate later this month.

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Sports

Olympic swimmer Scott Miller hit with more drug, meth, charges

Olympic swimmer Scott Miller has been hit with a raft of fresh offenses three months after he was put behind bars when he was arrested at his Sydney home over his role in an alleged drug syndicate.

The 47-year-old was arrested at his Rozelle home in February last year following a police investigation into the supply of more than $2 million – or at least 4kg – worth of ice.

He has remained behind bars since his arrest and has since pleaded guilty, but in May this year he was hit with multiple new charges relating to another drug matter.

Police allege the former Olympian directed a “criminal group” between April 2020 and October 2021 from Haberfield, in Sydney’s inner west.

According to court documents, Miller allegedly “knowingly took part in the manufacture of 1kg of methylamphetamine, which is not less than the large commercial quantity”.

It is also alleged he supplied 3kg of the drug, conspired with two co-accused to manufacture “a large commercial quantity” of meth and did “knowingly direct the activities of a criminal group”.

He was hit with six charges while already behind bars where he is awaiting sentence, including manufacturing or producing a prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug, two counts of conspire to commit an offence, knowingly direct activities of a criminal group and knowingly take part in manufacturing or producing a prohibited drug.

Neither Miller or a defense lawyer appeared when the matter was mentioned in court on Thursday, where Magistrate Daniel Covington was told a DPP prosecutor was making a detention application.

However, the application was not opposed as he was already behind bars due to the prior matter where he drove drugs to Yass.

The court was told Miller pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced on the other matter later this month in the district court.

According to police documents in relation to the matter he pleaded guilty to, Miller drove the consignment of drugs about 280km from Sydney to Yass, where he was met by another man.

The silver medallist allegedly pleaded guilty to hiding the bag, which held eight candles containing meth worth $2.2 million, in a secret compartment and left the car overnight.

Miller picked up another man the next day and the pair drove the Camry to Yass, according to police.

More than a month later, Miller was arrested at his Rozelle home on February 16.

Footage from the arrest shows a shirtless Miller with his face blurred wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans as he slumps in a white chair around a glass table inside a sparsely furnished room.

He pleaded guilty to four offences, including two counts of supplying prohibited drugs, dealing with property proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.

Miller won silver and bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was briefly married to Sydney model Charlotte Dawson.

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Manase Fainu: NRL rising star guilty of church stabbing

NRL rising star Manase Fainu has been found guilty of stabbing a church youth leader during a violent and bloody brawl outside a Mormon church dance.

Fainu, 24, pleaded not guilty to plunging a steak knife into the back of Faamanu Levi at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Wattle Grove in southwestern Sydney on the evening of October 25, 2019.

But it only took the jury a few hours to find him guilty of one count of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and is facing a maximum of 25 years in prison.

The jury accepted the Crown prosecution’s argument that Fainu stabbed Mr Levi in ​​the back near his shoulder blade and cut him above his right eye during a brawl also involving four of his mates and another group of men.

Mr Fainu will remain on bail until at least Monday when it will be decided whether he will be taken into custody.

He is required to remain living with his parents and report to police on a daily basis over the weekend.

Defense barrister Margaret Cunneen SC said Mr Fainu was surrounded by a “God-fearing community who will all be devastated by this verdict”.

She asked for his bail to be extended with “stringent” conditions until he is sentenced, adding there was no danger to the community and noting he had no history of violence or criminal record.

“There is absolutely no danger to the community whatsoever. This is extraordinary in the context of his otherwise blameless life of him, ”she said.

One eyewitness, Tony Quach, told the court that he had seen Mr Fainu, who had his arm in a sling at the time, stab Mr Levi, puncturing his lungs and causing internal bleeding.

It was not an issue during the trial that Fainu had his arm in a sling after undergoing shoulder surgery a month earlier or that he was in the carpark.

But he denied playing any part in the stabbing or the brawl, claiming it was a case of mistaken identity.

Fainu claimed he was about 10m away and began back-pedaling because he feared for his safety when he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.

But Mr Quach told the court he saw Fainu stab his friend Mr Levi and was able to identify him by his distinctive sling.

During his evidence, Mr Quach said Fainu had not started the fight but “he ended it”.

“I saw the knife plunged into Levi’s back,” Mr Quach said.

“Who did you see plunge the knife into Levi’s back?” Crown prosecutor Emma Curran asked.

“The accused,” Mr Quach said, adding he saw Fainu with one arm in a sling and holding a knife in his other hand, with his arm bent at a 90-degree angle.

Mr Quach described Fainu as having an angry look on his face.

The court was told that earlier in the evening, two of Fainu’s friends – including Uona “Big Buck” Faingaa – were involved in an altercation on the church hall dance floor and were escorted out.

Fainu said he went to the church dance with four of his friends because Mr Faingaa was seeking to collect money owed to him by a man for a concreting job.

The Manly Sea Eagles hooker said he left the church grounds as his mates were being escorted out and apologized to a security guard for his friends’ behavior as he exited.

Ms Curran said another man, Kupi Toilalo, said he saw a man approach him and his friends during the incident with his left arm in a sling holding a knife.

“When Kupi saw this, he was at arm’s length away from the person holding the knife, nothing obstructing his view,” Ms Curran said.

CCTV played during the trial showed Fainu jumping the fence from a Coles carpark back into the church grounds shortly before the brawl.

He said he jumped the fence despite admitting that he could have walked back in via the front gate.

“Manase Fainu jumped over a fence into the grounds of the church, he was with four of his friends and the group of them approached Mr Levi and his friends,” Ms Curran said during her closing submissions.

“A brawl broke out and when things looked like they were getting out of hand, Mr Fainu pulled out a knife and plunged it into the back of Mr Levi, causing a wound that punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding.”

Fainu will be sentenced at a later date.

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Parramatta Eels Bryce Cartwright fronts court over AVO

NRL star Bryce Cartwright has fronted a Sydney court after police took out a restraining order to protect his anti-vaxxer wife.

The 27-year-old Parramatta Eels forward split from his former wife Shanelle early last year, after the couple caused controversy over their views on vaccinations.

Cartwright walked away from a $450,000-a-season contract with the Gold Coast Titans and returned to NSW in September 2020 with his then-wife and two children.

Months later, the pair split up following their three-year marriage.

It was revealed this week that police have now sought an apprehended violence order (AVO) against Cartwright on behalf of his ex-wife.

He fronted Waverley Local Court on Thursday but the matter was quickly adjourned.

Cartwright will have to face court again on August 25. He has not been charged with any criminal offence.

An interim order prevents the 27-year-old from assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating Shanelle.

Standard conditions of the interim order state he also must not damage her property or harm any animal she owns.

Neither the Parramatta Eels or NSW Police have commented on the matter.

The former couple received heavy criticism in 2020 after they expressed their beliefs about vaccinations widely on social media.

Cartwright and his ex-wife said they chose not to vaccinate their children, which was condemned by medical experts.

They called themselves “pro-choice” rather than “anti-vax”.

Both Shanelle and Cartwright were sent a number of threats due to the controversial stance.

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Australia

Teacher Ammy Singleton has child grooming charges dropped at South Australian court

A female South Australian relief teacher accused of grooming a boy for sex has had the case against her dropped.

Ammy Singleton, 28, was charged with communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity in Port Augusta last year.

But at Port Augusta Magistrates Court on Wednesday, the court was told the complainant did not wish to proceed with the case, The Advertiser reports.

Ms Singleton did not comment to media as she left the courtroom.

The offending was alleged to have occurred against a 16-year-old male between November 1 and 30, 2021.

Her lawyer Alexander Hosking had previously told the court the alleged victim had come into contact with his client through a chat room.

The court was also told the allegations had nothing to do with Ms Singleton’s job as a teacher.

Ms Singleton, who worked as a relief teacher at multiple schools in the Port Augusta area, was arrested and charged in December.

Two schools sent letters to parents confirming she had briefly worked at the campuses but stressed the charges did not involve any students at the school and there was “no need” for any concern.

Ms Singleton’s teaching registration was canceled in March this year.

Under South Australian law, the offense of communicating with a child with intent to procure for a sexual activity carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail.

Earlier this year, Ms Singleton’s mother claimed her daughter was dragged into a “teen love triangle” after receiving a Snapchat message.

She said Ms Singleton did not even know the youth in question, voicing concern that her daughter would struggle to repay her student loans.

“She will never have a life again, and she’s never done a bad thing to anyone but she’s guilty until proven innocent,” she said at the time.

“She’ll have her day in court, but she will never get her life back and neither will we.”

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NRL rising star ‘ended’ wild brawl with alleged stabbing

NRL rising star Manase Fainu did not start a bloody brawl in a church parking lot but he “ended it” when he plunged a steak knife into the back of a youth leader, a court has been told.

Mr Fainu, 24, is fighting allegations that he stabbed Faamanu Levi in ​​the back during a brawl outside a Mormon church dance nearly three years ago.

The Manly Sea Eagles hooker has pleaded not guilty to wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after Mr Levi was stabbed in the back near his shoulder blade and cut above his right eye.

Mr Fainu’s trial has entered its final stages, with Crown prosecutor Emma Curran using closing submissions on Tuesday to point to the evidence of one eyewitness who told the court that he had seen Mr Fainu stab Mr Levi.

Mr Fainu during his evidence said he played no part in the brawl, which took place between two parked cars in a parking lot at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Wattle Grove in Sydney’s southwest.

NRL player Manase Fainu says he played no part in a wild brawl in a church parking lot. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Christian GillesSource: News Corp Australia

During his evidence on Monday, Mr Fainu said he was approximately 10 to 12m from the fight between his friends and another group of men when he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.

He had undergone shoulder surgery a month earlier and on October 25, 2019, he had his left arm in a sling.

Tony Quach said he saw Mr Fainu stab his friend Mr Levi and was able to identify him by his sling.

During his evidence, Mr Quach said Mr Fainu had not started the fight but “he ended it” by stabbing Mr Levi.

“Manase Fainu jumped over a fence into the grounds of the church, he was with four of his friends and the group of them approached Mr Levi and his friends,” Ms Curran said.

“A brawl broke out and when things looked like they were getting out of hand, Mr Fainu pulled out a knife and plunged it into the back of Mr Levi, causing a wound that punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding.”

CCTV footage shows Manase Fainu jumping a fence into a Mormon church dance shortly before a wild brawl. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied

Mr Quach said he saw Mr Fainu with an angry look on his face and a knife in his right hand and his arm bent at a 90-degree angle.

It is not an issue that Mr Fainu was in the car park, his left arm was in a sling, and there was a brawl during which Mr Levi was stabbed before Mr Fainu scaled the wall once again and ran to his car.

However, the identity of Mr Levi’s attacker is in dispute.

Ms Curran said another man, Kupi Toilalo, said he saw a man approach him and his friends with his left arm in a sling holding a knife.

“When Kupi saw this, he was at arm’s length away from the person holding the knife, nothing obstructing his view,” Ms Curran said

Faamanu Levi was stabbed in the back following a brawl at a Mormon church dance. Picture: Shannon TonkinSource: Supplied
Tony Quach said he saw Mr Fainu stab a man in the back. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Christian Gilles.Source: News Corp Australia

Mr Fainu told the jury on Monday that he was “scared” because he knew he could not defend himself if he became involved in the fight.

He denied brandishing a 10cm steak knife that was used to stab Mr Levi, saying he did not see any of his friends with a weapon on the night.

Mr Levi underwent surgery after the stab wound punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding.

Mr Fainu is fighting allegations he stabbed a church youth leader in the back. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles.Source: News Corp Australia

Mr Fainu said he went to the church because his friend Uona “Big Buck” Faingaa was seeking to recover money owed to him by a man.

The court was told that before the brawl, two of Mr Fainu’s friends were involved in an altercation on the dance floor and were asked to leave.

Mr Fainu said he left the church grounds as his mates were being escorted out, apologizing to a security guard on the way out.

CCTV footage showed Mr Fainu and four of his friends shortly afterwards jumping a fence from a Coles carpark back onto the church grounds.

Mr Fainu testified that he had told his friends that he would go inside to collect Mr Faingaa’s money by himself; however, they followed him over.

Defense barrister Margaret Cunneen SC said Mr Fainu had been identified as being present during the brawl because of the distinguishing nature of his sling, but all of the eyewitnesses were mistaken about him being the stabber.

“Mr Manase Fainu is a man who was never before in trouble for any violence whatsoever,” Ms Cunneen said.

“He did not stab Mr Levi. No one condom what happened to Mr Levi, it’s appalling.”

The jury will withdraw to consider its verdict after Ms Cunneen’s closing submissions.

The trial before Judge Nanette Williams continues.

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Manase Fainu: NRL rising star ‘ended’ wild brawl with alleged stabbing

NRL rising star Manase Fainu did not start a bloody brawl in a church parking lot but he “ended it” when he plunged a steak knife into the back of a youth leader, a court has been told.

Mr Fainu, 24, is fighting allegations that he stabbed Faamanu Levi in ​​the back during a brawl outside a Mormon church dance nearly three years ago.

The Manly Sea Eagles hooker has pleaded not guilty to wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after Mr Levi was stabbed in the back near his shoulder blade and cut above his right eye.

Mr Fainu’s trial has entered its final stages, with Crown prosecutor Emma Curran using closing submissions on Tuesday to point to the evidence of one eyewitness who told the court that he had seen Mr Fainu stab Mr Levi.

Mr Fainu during his evidence said he played no part in the brawl, which took place between two parked cars in a parking lot at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Wattle Grove in Sydney’s southwest.

During his evidence on Monday, Mr Fainu said he was approximately 10 to 12m from the fight between his friends and another group of men when he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.

He had undergone shoulder surgery a month earlier and on October 25, 2019, he had his left arm in a sling.

Tony Quach said he saw Mr Fainu stab his friend Mr Levi and was able to identify him by his sling.

During his evidence, Mr Quach said Mr Fainu had not started the fight but “he ended it” by stabbing Mr Levi.

“Manase Fainu jumped over a fence into the grounds of the church, he was with four of his friends and the group of them approached Mr Levi and his friends,” Ms Curran said.

“A brawl broke out and when things looked like they were getting out of hand, Mr Fainu pulled out a knife and plunged it into the back of Mr Levi, causing a wound that punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding.”

Mr Quach said he saw Mr Fainu with an angry look on his face and a knife in his right hand and his arm bent at a 90-degree angle.

It is not an issue that Mr Fainu was in the car park, his left arm was in a sling, and there was a brawl during which Mr Levi was stabbed before Mr Fainu scaled the wall once again and ran to his car.

However, the identity of Mr Levi’s attacker is in dispute.

Ms Curran said another man, Kupi Toilalo, said he saw a man approach him and his friends with his left arm in a sling holding a knife.

“When Kupi saw this, he was at arm’s length away from the person holding the knife, nothing obstructing his view,” Ms Curran said

Mr Fainu told the jury on Monday that he was “scared” because he knew he could not defend himself if he became involved in the fight.

He denied brandishing a 10cm steak knife that was used to stab Mr Levi, saying he did not see any of his friends with a weapon on the night.

Mr Levi underwent surgery after the stab wound punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding.

Mr Fainu said he went to the church because his friend Uona “Big Buck” Faingaa was seeking to recover money owed to him by a man.

The court was told that before the brawl, two of Mr Fainu’s friends were involved in an altercation on the dance floor and were asked to leave.

Mr Fainu said he left the church grounds as his mates were being escorted out, apologizing to a security guard on the way out.

CCTV footage showed Mr Fainu and four of his friends shortly afterwards jumping a fence from a Coles carpark back onto the church grounds.

Mr Fainu testified that he had told his friends that he would go inside to collect Mr Faingaa’s money by himself; however, they followed him over.

Defense barrister Margaret Cunneen SC said Mr Fainu had been identified as being present during the brawl because of the distinguishing nature of his sling, but all of the eyewitnesses were mistaken about him being the stabber.

“Mr Manase Fainu is a man who was never before in trouble for any violence whatsoever,” Ms Cunneen said.

“He did not stab Mr Levi. No one condom what happened to Mr Levi, it’s appalling.”

The jury will withdraw to consider its verdict after Ms Cunneen’s closing submissions.

The trial before Judge Nanette Williams continues.

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Manly Sea Eagles young gun Manase Fainu court hearing, stabbing

NRL rising star Manase Fainu has denied plunging a steak knife into the back of a church youth leader, saying he backed away from a wild brawl after he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.

Mr Fainu, 24, is standing trial in the Parramatta District Court where he has denied stabbing Faamanu Levi in ​​his back near his shoulder during a bloody brawl outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Wattle Grove on October 25, 2019.

Fainu has pleaded not guilty to one count of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and he on Monday took the witness stand as he fights the allegations.

The court has heard that Mr Levi had earlier in the night spoken to two men who were involved in an altercation on the dance floor.

Mr Levi and his friends were later attacked by a group of men inside the church parking lot in a brawl in-between two parked cars but Mr Fainu said he played no part.

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NRL star Manase Fainu has told the court he did not stab a church leader in the back. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian GillesSource: News Corp Australia

The Manly Sea Eagles hooker on Monday told the jury he went to the dance with his friends, including Uona “Big Buck” Faingaa, who the court heard was attempting to recover money he was owed from a man.

Mr Fainu said he saw two of his mates including “Big Buck” being escorted off the church grounds and followed them, apologizing to a security guard for his friend’s behavior on the way out.

CCTV played during the trial has shown Mr Fainu jumping the fence from a Coles car park back into the church grounds shortly before the brawl.

Mr Fainu has told the court he told his friends he would go inside to collect Big Buck’s money by himself, however his friends followed him over the fence.

Faamanu Levi has told the court he did not know who stabbed him in the back. Picture: Shannon TonkinSource: Supplied

He said he was walking through the car park to the chapel when he saw a brawl erupt about 10 to 15 meters away.

“I just saw something, like a brawl going on,” Mr Fainu said.

“I started, like, back-pedaling and walking backwards,” he said, arguing he knew he couldn’t defend himself.

The court has heard he had undergone shoulder surgery and his arm was in a sling at the time.

Asked by his barrister Margaret Cunneen SC if he had a knife that night, he said “no, mam”.

He said he never saw a knife in any of his friends’ possession and ran away when he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.

“I just saw (the brawl) for, like, a minute or two and then I ran away; I was scared for myself,” he said.

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Manase Fainu is standing trial in the NSW District Court. Picture: AAP / Brendon ThorneSource: AAP

He said he took his sling off to jump back over the fence and while in the parking lot, he talked to his friends about the brawl.

Mr Fainu told the court he heard “Big Buck” say he “dropped someone” and none of his friends told him about someone being stabbed.

Mr Levi has previously told the court he did not see who stabbed him.

Witness Tony Quach last week told the court he saw Mr Fainu stab Mr Levi in ​​the back during the brawl and could identify him from his sling.

“Sir, you were the one who plunged the knife into the back of Faamanu Levi on the 25th of October, 2019, weren’t you?” crown prosecutor Emma Curran asked

“No, mam,” Mr Fainu replied.

Manase Fainu has told the court he went back into the church to collect money owed to a friend. Picture: John Grainger.Source: News Corp Australia

CCTV played to the court showed Mr Fainu in the parking lot with a white towel on his head.

He denied it was an effort to hide his identity, saying he had soaked it in cold water because he had a headache, adding it was a common practice at Manly training

The video showed him scaling a fire hydrant to get over the fence about 11.20pm.

He said he climbed the fence because it was the quickest way to get back into the church, despite telling Ms Curran he could have walked back in via the front gate because he wasn’t kicked out of the dance.

He said he thought he was going by himself but after he had got over the wall he realized his friends had followed.

“Why did you jump over?” Mr Fainu claimed he told his friends about him.

He said he told “Big Buck” and his other friends to “wait there” but “Big Buck” was angry and said “f*** that, I’ll go get it.”

“Why did you feel such a responsibility to Big Buck to go and get the money for him?” Ms Curran asked.

“Because I was the driver, I was just a good friend,” Mr Fainu said.

The trial continues.

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