A TAMWORTH man will be sentenced later this year for stabbing three people including his mother and girlfriend, after an argument broke out last year.
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James Andrew Creighton was due to face a trial for up to seven days this month on a series of wounding charges but has pleaded guilty.
Creighton appeared via video link in Tamworth District Court, and in a new arraignment admitted to four offences.
The charges stem from an argument in South Tamworth in January 2019 where he was charged with stabbing his girlfriend, mother and another man.
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Creighton admitted to charges of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) to a person with intent that's domestic violence-related; causing GBH to a person with intent; reckless wounding; and assault occasioning actual bodily harm to a second man on the same night
Judge Warwick Hunt will sentence Creighton in September. He's been in custody since his arrest on the night in question last year and was refused bail ahead of sentencing.
Related offences of resisting police, and two counts of DV-related common assault will be taken into account in sentencing next month.
The Crown withdrew charges of reckless GBH; and taking or detaining his girlfriend with intent to obtain an advantage, or "dominance in their relationship".
It comes after discussions between the Crown and defence at a super-callover held in the district to examine trials and issues, as the court works to clear a backlog of trials.
District court trials only resumed last week in Tamworth after COVID-19 restrictions saw them halted in March.
The then 22-year-old had been accused of causing GBH with intent to his girlfriend but last year Creighton told the court he "had no intentions to do that" when he allegedly wounded his partner in South Tamworth.
The alleged stabbings took place at a Coorong Street home in Tamworth on January 19.
Police claimed an argument broke out about 10.30pm between Creighton and his girlfriend in the front yard.
When the 21-year-old woman walked towards the house, police maintained Creighton then stabbed her in the abdomen.
Creighton's 40-year-old mother tried to intervene in the argument and received serious lacerations to her forearm, police claimed.
A 34-year-old man, who police claim also tried to stop the argument, was allegedly stabbed several times in the torso.
All three were then rushed to Tamworth hospital, before Creighton's mother and the man were taken to Newcastle for specialist treatment.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
