COROWA man Steven Bates was in jail serving a sentence for robbery when his mother died from a drug overdose in March last year, a District Court judge heard yesterday.
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An approach was made so authorities would release Bates to attend the funeral of his mother, Louise, but it was rejected.
When Bates was released from jail, he made an approach at a birthday party to a man suspected of supplying drugs to his mother and said: “Have you got something to say to me, bro?”
The man said he had nothing to say and several hours later Bates, 21, inflicted a knife wound to his neck.
The victim received a two-centimetre cut to his neck, cuts to his right hand and an eight-centimetre scalp wound as he tried to flee the party.
The circumstances of the attack were outlined to Judge Colin Charteris in the District Court at Albury where Bates appeared after previously pleading guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
His barrister, Michael King, tendered a transcript of findings from an inquest into the death of Louise Bates at Corowa in August.
Coroner Gordon Lerve found she died from a cocktail of drugs, but there was insufficient material to refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Ms Bates, 39, died from mixed alcohol and morphine on March 24.
The victim of the attack by her son declined to give evidence at the inquest.
Bates said during evidence yesterday that the victim had offered him drugs — Oxycontin — at the party.
“It just made me think this person may have had a part in my mother’s death,” Bates said.
He admitted being intoxicated when he attacked the victim and continued to pursue him to his car.
The court heard Bates told the man he was going to kill him when the blow to the back of his head was inflicted.
Judge Charteris has adjourned sentencing until next week.
