A MAN who attacked his girlfriend’s former partner with a piece of wood after he allegedly turned up drunk at their Perth apartment late at night and angrily bashed on their front door is claiming self defence.
Gatkath Kong is on trial in the District Court of WA, charged with doing an act that resulted in life, health or safety being endangered.
The court heard on Monday that Kong and his partner were asleep in bed in the early hours of November 4, 2017 when an intoxicated Ali Warsame persistently banged on the door of their East Victoria Park apartment, calling out her name.
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READ NOWDefence counsel Andrew Tehan said his client didn’t want confrontation so he stayed in bed, hoping Mr Warsame would go away.
But the banging got louder, so, fearing the neighbours would be woken, Kong opened the door and said the woman didn’t live there before closing it in Mr Warsame’s face.
Mr Tehan said Kong went back to bed but Mr Warsame started banging on the kitchen window, so hard he feared it would break, and continued yelling out for the woman.
“She’s absolutely terrified, hiding under the covers, shaking with fear,” the lawyer said.
Kong went outside, gestured for Mr Warsame to follow him and when they got to a common area downstairs, he started rummaging through a bag, saying he had a knife and was going to use it, Mr Tehan said.
Kong, who had previously been the victim of a knife attack, dashed up the stairs and grabbed the closest object.
“Fearing attack, he strikes,” the lawyer said.
“He does this as an act of self defence.”
Mr Warsame ran off after being struck several times, suffering facial and arm fractures.
The court heard he required hospitalisation and had metal plates inserted around his eyes.
Mr Warsame testified he was still in a relationship with the woman, who had spent time with him earlier that day.
He said he had only knocked on the door two or three times and was using a “normal” voice before Kong emerged from the apartment, swearing and telling him “you’re going nowhere”, then pushing him over.
Mr Warsame said he had never met Kong before and didn’t see where the heavy branch he used for the attack had come from.
“I got nothing against him – I tried to tell him ‘stop’.”
Prosecutor Mark Nicol told the jury the woman would deny still being in a relationship with Mr Warsame.
The trial continues.
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