Sydney stabbing accused Mert Ney charged with possessing child abuse material
October 16, 2019 · By Australian Associated Press for www.theguardian.com
Sydney stabbing accused Mert Ney is facing charges of possessing child abuse material on top of previous charges of murder, attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Photograph: SUPPLIED/PR IMAGE
A Sydney man accused of murdering a woman, stabbing another woman and then running through the city’s CBD brandishing a bloodied knife is now charged with possessing child abuse material.
Mert Ney, who was restrained with chairs and a milk crate after the alleged violent acts on 13 August, has been formally charged with possessing child abuse material on a USB during the attack.
He is also accused of possessing cannabis and being armed with a knife with intent to cause a serious offence.
The 21-year-old remained quiet as he appeared via video link before Central Local Court on Tuesday, when he was remanded in custody.
“He denies possessing those materials,” Ney’s lawyer, Zemarai Khatiz, told reporters outside court.
Ney already faces charges of murder, attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm over the incident.
Police allege he killed Michaela Dunn, 24, in a Clarence Street apartment before stabbing Linda Bo, 41, in the shoulder at the Hotel CBD.
Ney was later filmed running through the city brandishing a bloodied kitchen knife before lawyer John Bamford and others restrained him.
He’s also accused of choking a family member at Marayong on 7 August.
The Blacktown man intends to defend the charges against him on the grounds of mental illness, Khatiz has previously told reporters.
Prosecutors told the court on Tuesday a substantial brief of evidence had been served on Khatiz but further evidence was likely to be gathered from his mobile phone and medical records.
Facebook had also been issued with a mutual assistance request, the court was told.
That information is expected to be added to the brief of evidence by 6 December, in time for Ney’s next court appearance on 10 December.
Uber and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital have already returned data after being subpoenaed for information, the court was told.
Outside court, Khatiz said his client’s mental state was “still bad”.
An interim restraining order against Ney, protecting one of his family members, remains in place.
