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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

Alleged stabber at kid's party bailed, wants to 'never drink again'

A man accused of stabbing his brother-in-law during a drunken argument at a children's birthday party has "expressed an intention to never drink again".

Jaspreet Singh Mavi, 37, was granted bail after a second bid for freedom in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

He previously pleaded not guilty to intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Mavi is accused of stabbing his brother-in-law multiple times with a knife after an argument broke out at a children's birthday party in March.

In an appearance in the ACT court on Tuesday, barrister Steven Whybrow SC applied for bail for Mavi.

Mr Whybrow represented Bruce Lehrmann in a discontinued 2022 ACT criminal trial and again under unprecedented media scrutiny last year during a Federal Court civil trial.

On Tuesday, Mr Whybrow said Mavi relocating to Victoria if granted bail would reduce the likelihood of him accidentally running into any witnesses.

Mr Whybrow stated his client would follow a "pertinent" condition not to drink alcohol and had "expressed an intention never to drink again".

The barrister told the court Mavi could use a private bail compliance service costing between $7500 and $10,000 for six months.

Mr Whybrow said they provided ankle monitors, GPS tracking, and rehabilitation services.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said this would be "overkill" and did not add this to bail conditions.

Prosecutor Samuel Carmichael had opposed bail, labeling the "escalation" from an argument to a stabbing "extreme".

Jaspreet Mavi leaves court on Tuesday. Picture by Hannah Neale

Mr Carmichael said there was a "major disjuncture" between what a witness initially told police and her comments to the defence lawyers on Tuesday morning.

"[This] creates a concern [about the] power dynamic ... and the availability of coercion," Mr Carmichael told the court.

Ms Walker granted bail saying there were "no indicators that Mr Mavi is likely to behave this way in the future".

Police documents state Mavi and the alleged victim were sitting together on the rear deck of a Kambah house, eating dinner and drinking, when it is said they began arguing and yelling at about 10.30pm.

The argument is said to have started up again a short time later in the home's driveway, where an "agitated" Mavi is accused of threatening his brother-in-law with a kitchen knife in front of other family members.

While family members are said to have tried to calm the situation by separating the men, Mavi allegedly "charged" at his brother-in-law and "stabbed him four to five times" in the side of his abdomen.

Documents claim family members rushed to treat the man's wounds with bedsheets while Mavi allegedly fled the scene by car.

About 12.40am on Monday morning, Mavi handed himself in to police and "made admission to stabbing his brother-in-law" before being arrested.

The alleged victim was hospitalised in the intensive care unit at Canberra Hospital, and required live-saving surgery including having his spleen removed.

He is set to return to court at a later date.

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