Sydney real estate agent charged with attempted murder after samurai sword attack
A Sydney real estate agent has been charged with attempted murder after an assault on two women in Sydney’s inner west this week that allegedly involved a samurai sword.
Emergency services were called to a home on Ferris Street, Annandale, about 5am on Monday following reports two women were injured.
Karl Howard has been charged with attempted murder.
Police will allege in court that Karl Howard punched a 27-year-old woman on the head. A 29-year-old woman also in the home attempted to intervene but was allegedly struck with a weapon, believed to be a samurai sword, by the man.
Mr Howard, 44, and the two women are all known to each other, police said.
The injured women contacted emergency services after travelling to another home on Ferris Street to seek assistance. They were treated by paramedics before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in stable conditions.
Mr Howard left on foot before emergency services arrived. He was found hiding behind a parked car two blocks over on Macquarie Street and arrested.
He attended the same hospital as the women under police guard after sustaining a shoulder injury during his arrest.
On Tuesday, Mr Howard was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding with intent to murder and trespassing.
He will attend Newtown Local Court on Wednesday.
In a statement, Mr Howard’s employer said he had been stood down from his role as principal of Ray White Balmain on Monday pending the resolution of the charges.
“The Ray White Group is an Australian family owned and led business and it expects a high standard of personal conduct from its members,” it 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.”
The alleged attack comes two months after Blake Davis was convicted of manslaughter over the samurai sword killing of a home invader at his nearby Forest Lodge home in 2018.
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Mary Ward is a health reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.