'Missing weed' led to knife-wielding attacker slashing man in face, police allege

A man was allegedly slashed in the face with a knife, leaving “blood everywhere”, in a “bizarre” and unprovoked attack.

Several friends had gathered together at one of their homes, Belconnen Way Hotel & Serviced Apartments in Hawker, on Tuesday evening (23 April), police say in court documents.

They had been drinking alcohol and consuming cannabis before 24-year-old Ryan Matthew Rory Hicks allegedly began yelling that he was “missing weed”.

When one man asked what he was yelling about, Hicks allegedly stood close to this man, pulled out a 20 cm folding knife and swung it at the man’s face.

It is alleged the knife hit the man’s face twice, leaving a 5 cm cut beside his nose as well as a 10 cm cut behind his eye.

He allegedly fell backwards, reached to his face, realised he was bleeding heavily and used a towel to stop the blood.

Hicks allegedly fled the scene but returned several times to say he was “sorry”.

Police and paramedics were called and Hicks was arrested.

The man alleged to police that Hicks had been getting mad because of drugs, started shouting, then jumped on top of him with a folding knife when he told him to stop.

“I then saw blood everywhere coming from my head,” the man said.

Hicks was charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm and applied for bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday (26 April), which was opposed by the prosecution.

His duty lawyer said his main risk factor was alcohol, but he had asked her to include a bail condition requiring him to stop drinking.

The lawyer also said he did use cannabis as it helped him calm down.

Prosecutor Ryan Mackenzie alleged the incident had been a “rather bizarre, random, unprovoked attack”.

He alleged the knife had narrowly missed the man’s eye and it was difficult to craft bail conditions that could address the brazen nature of the allegations.

Magistrate James Lawton said the allegations were serious, but he would grant bail on comprehensive conditions.

No plea was entered. The matter was adjourned to 23 May.