A MAN accused of stabbing three people including his girlfriend and mother will stand trial after denying the charges.
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James Andrew Creighton said he "had no intentions to do that" when he allegedly wounded his partner in January this year in South Tamworth.
Creighton appeared via video link in Tamworth District Court for an arraignment hearing, in which he pleaded not guilty to four charges and guilty to one assault.
The 22-year-old is being held at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Sydney's Silverwater prison.
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Creighton was asked for his plea to taking his girlfriend without consent with intent to gain an advantage, namely "dominance in their relationship", on January 19.
"No, not guilty," Creighton replied.
When asked what plea he was entering to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) to his partner with intent to cause GBH, Creighton denied the offence.
"Um, not guilty. I had no intentions to do that," Creighton said.
He also pleaded not guilty to recklessly causing GBH to his mother and causing GBH with intent to another man on the same night.
Creighton admitted to a charge of assaulting a second man occasioning actual bodily harm on the same night.
"I'll plead guilty to that," he told Judge Jeffery McLennan.
After the four not-guilty pleas, the court heard the earliest trial date would be in June next year.
I think it's common ground that it would be in the order of five to seven days.
- Solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Kidd
"I think it's common ground that it would be in the order of five to seven days," solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Kidd told the court.
The court heard the officer-in-charge as well as a second officer from the dog squad were unavailable for a June trial, along with the senior crime scene officer.
"The officer in charge, I couldn't consent to her statement going ahead," public defender Stuart Bouveng told the court, adding the contents of their statements might need to be challenged at trial.
"Well, it's just hearsay."
Judge McLennan said the next available trial date in Tamworth was mid-August 2020.
"Would it be the priority trial in that sittings?" Mr Bouveng asked.
"Absolutely ... your client is in custody," Judge McLennan said.
Judge McLennan set the trial down as the first case to be heard in the sittings.
"The trial is listed as the number one priority," he told the court.
"He's otherwise remanded in custody."
The alleged stabbings took place at a Coorong Street home in Tamworth on January 10.
Police allege an argument broke out about 10.30pm between Creighton and his girlfriend in the front yard.
When the 21-year-old woman walked towards the house, the accused allegedly then stabbed her in the abdomen.
Creighton's 40-year-old mother tried to intervene in the argument and received serious lacerations to her forearm, police claim.
A 34-year-old man, who police claim also tried to stop the argument, was allegedly stabbed several times in the torso.
All three were then rushed to Tamworth hospital, before Creighton's mother and the man were taken to Newcastle for specialist treatment.