PHOTO: The former principal of Ray White Balmain has been in custody on remand since his arrest. Picture: Supplied
A Sydney real estate agent accused of attempting to murder a woman with a samurai sword in Annandale is negotiating a potential plea with prosecutors, a court has been told.
Karl Adon Howard, 44, was due to enter a plea this week over allegations he assaulted two young women, striking one with a samurai sword, after a night out drinking and taking drugs in February.
But the former principal of Ray White Balmain has sought yet another adjournment as he and his lawyers negotiate with the Department of Public Prosecutions.
His solicitor John Sutton told Central Local Court on Tuesday morning that he was “not in a position to betray the negotiations” but “there is significant expectation of progress”.
“There’s an offer been made, there’s alternative facts been provided,” he said.
Mr Sutton said the DPP had to take “another step because another government agency has a view on the matter”.
He asked magistrate Robert Williams for a one-month adjournment.
“Within that time it’s expected the internal DPP process will have been adhered to, negotiation on the facts occurred and settled, and (Howard) in a position to enter a plea in respect of a particular charge,” Mr Sutton said.
The solicitor added that psychiatric experts for both the crown and defence had reached similar medical conclusions about Mr Howard.
The DPP joined Mr Sutton in seeking the adjournment, which was granted by Mr Williams.
Mr Howard, who has been in custody on remand since his arrest, did not appear in court via video link.
Police will allege Mr Howard punched a 27-year-old woman in the head before hitting her friend, 29, with a samurai sword as she attempted to intervene between the hours of 4.40am and 5.20am on February 8.
The court has previously been told that Mr Howard had allegedly taken Viagra, valium and cocaine and spent the night drinking before the incident at his Ferris St home.
READ MORE VIA THE AUSTRALIAN
