Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

Friend's face allegedly slashed in 'missing weed' argument

A man is accused of slashing the face of his friend during an argument about "missing weed".

Ryan Matthew Rory Hicks, 24, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, when he was granted bail.

He is yet to enter a plea to one count of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.

A police document alleges that on Tuesday, at a friend's home, Hicks and others consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana.

At one stage Hicks is accused of yelling he was "missing weed, he was short [of weed] and that he shouldn't be short".

The alleged victim began yelling "what are you talking about" and the two men stood "nose to nose" with each other.

Hicks then allegedly produced a 20-centimetre folding knife and swung it at the other man's face.

Police claim the knife cut across the alleged victim's face causing a five-centimetre laceration along his nose and then continuing behind his eye for another 10 centimetres.

The alleged victim's face was "bleeding profusely", the documents states.

Ryan Hicks leaves court on Friday. Picture by Hannah Neale

Hicks is said to have fled the scene but returned two or three times, on each occasion stating he was "sorry for what he had done".

About 9.40pm police received a call that a man "had been stabbed by his drunk friend".

Officers claim that when they arrived they saw a man, later identified as Hicks, not wearing a shirt and with a five-centimetre cut on his neck.

On Friday, a Legal Aid duty lawyer successfully applied for bail for Hicks.

The lawyer argued alcohol was the main risk factor for Hicks, and he has "seen these proceedings as a wake-up call".

Ryan Hicks picks up his bail paperwork after dropping the document outside court on Friday. Picture by Hannah Neale

They said bail conditions not to drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs, except marijuana, would address any risks.

Marijuana provided a "therapeutic effect" for his anger management and anxiety issues, the lawyer stated.

Prosecutor Ryan Mackenzie opposed bail, labeling the alleged slashing a "rather bizarre and random, unprovoked attack".

"Given the bizarreness of where this offending has come from it is my submission bail conditions just wouldn't be able to [protect the community]," Mr Mackenzie said.

Magistrate James Lawton granted Hicks bail.

Hicks is set to face court again next month.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.