By David Royden-
A real estate agent from Sydney Australia who attacked a woman with a samurai sword also planned to assault the woman, a court has heard.
The man allegedly took four Viagra pills and repeatedly punched another woman during the incident, according to submissions made against him.
Balmain property agent Karl Adon Howard was remanded in custody on Wednesday until at least 8 April, for allegedly trying to murder a 29-year-old woman on Monday.
The alleged samurai sword attack at a home in Annandale occurred shortly after he took a dose of Viagra and began trying to strangle a 27-year-old also at the residence, Newtown local court was told.
The shocking details were revealed during a hearing on Wednesday in relation to a non-publication order (NPO) covering the names of the women. The judge said he would make a determination on the request at the end of the week.
Lawyer, Anthony Sissian, told the court, the Estate Agent had the intention to commit sexual assault on her client.
She said: “The only reason for a person … [taking] four Viagra pills before strangling and forcing his tongue down someone’s throat is he must have had a sexual intent,” Anthony Sissian, one of the women’s lawyers, told the court.
Sissian petitioned the court to make an NPO to avoid causing undue distress or embarrassment to parties in offences of a sexual nature.
He said disclosure of the women’s names would expose the women to “further significant, undue distress in addition to the extreme physical and psychological trauma they have already experienced”. “To do so would be cruel, inhumane and unnecessary,” he said.
Howard allegedly punched the younger woman in the head four times before she escaped “by chance”, the court heard.
“I hate to think if he didn’t slip over and he did get to carry out his will,” Sissian said.
Howard allegedly fled the home after the pre-dawn attack and was arrested in a nearby street.
The 44-year-old, who remains in hospital after being injured during his arrest, is charged with wounding with intent to murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and trespassing.
“He’s got various physical injuries of his own, he’s undergone surgery and we’re just awaiting outcomes to understand what the doctors say,” Howard’s lawyer, John Sutton, told reporters outside court.
Sutton said he’d not had a detailed discussion with his client due to the ongoing medical treatment.
Asked about Howard’s concern about a potential job loss, Sutton said: “I think he’s worried about more than just losing his job.” “It’s a very unfortunate circumstance,” the lawyer said.
Howard – a principal of Ray White Balmain – was stood down from the business on Monday and keeps that status “pending the resolution of the charges against him”, a Ray White spokesperson said. Howard has no current listings and the agency remains operational with a co-owner as the licensee.
“The Ray White Group is an Australian family-owned and led business and it expects a high standard of personal conduct from its members,” the spokesperson said. “We do not condone violence in any form. We are concerned for the wellbeing of all involved and staff are being offered counselling services.”
Newtown magistrate Glenn Bartley ordered the women’s names not be publicly disclosed until Friday when he will decide whether to make a lasting ban.