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Body modifier allegedly made threats to prevent tummy tuck client seeking treatment, court hears

Heath Parkes-HuptonNCA NewsWire
Brendan Russell, 40, ran a store at Erina on the Central Coast.
Camera IconBrendan Russell, 40, ran a store at Erina on the Central Coast. Credit: Supplied

A witness has broken down in court describing how a NSW body modification artist allegedly threatened violence in an attempt to ensure a client who’d had a tummy tuck did not go to hospital.

The trial of Brendan Leigh Russell has previously heard he feared going to prison if the client, a woman, sought medical treatment after undergoing the tummy tuck procedure at his Central Coast shop.

On Wednesday a witness, who can’t be identified, told the court Mr Russell was “so violent” and allegedly pressured them to help convince the woman – whose stomach was infected – to come see him instead.

“He definitely said that on a number of (occasions),“ the witness told the Downing Centre District Court.

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“He threatened me … threatened my family.”

Brendan Russell, 40, ran a store at Erina on the Central Coast.
Camera IconBrendan Russell, 40, ran a store at Erina on the Central Coast. Credit: Supplied

The emotional witness claimed the man dubbed ‘BSlice DotCom’ told them he would “mess up” the woman and her husband if they went to hospital.

“He definitely did everything he could to make sure no one went to hospital over him. He was always like that,” the witness said.

The evidence came as Mr Russell’s lawyer Michal Mantaj cross-examined the witness and challenged their version of events.

Mr Mantaj suggested his client had never told the woman not to go to hospital or did anything to prevent the witness from telling the alleged victim not to seek treatment.

DOWNING CENTRE
Camera IconBrendan Russell denies he caused injury and death. NCA NewsWire / James Gourley Credit: News Corp Australia

Mr Russell, 40, has pleaded not guilty to charges including manslaughter, female genital mutilation and causing grievous bodily harm.

The charges relate to separate surgeries on three different women between January 2015 and April 2017.

One woman allegedly died from a blood borne infection after Mr Russell implanted a silicone snowflake under the skin of her hand in March 2017.

The witness on Tuesday claimed the woman had attended Mr Russell’s shop Transition at Erina Fair days after the procedure complaining her hand was infected.

Mr Mantaj put to her that the woman had in fact only been complaining of a scab on her hand, which the witness denied.

“I remember (the woman) saying to Brendan, ‘You sure it’s not infected’, or something like that. And him saying something like, ‘No it’s OK … I’ll fix it’.”

Brendan Russell was first charged in 2018.
Camera IconBrendan Russell was first charged in 2018. Credit: Supplied

The witness also refuted Mr Russell’s version of a phone call he had with the woman on the night of her death.

Mr Russell claims during the conversation the woman told him her dog had popped open stitches on her hand and he urged her to “come see me now like ASAP”.

Mr Mantaj put to the witness that the woman told Mr Russell she was “too high to go anywhere” and was having a barbecue with her neighbours.

The witness said that was “absolutely not” true an claimed and angry Mr Russell had dismissed the woman’s concerns of infection in the call.

The witness said Mr Russell was allegedly scared after the woman’s death, believing it might be linked back to him.

Mr Mantaj suggested this was not true but the witness said they clearly remembered comforting Mr Russell and being confused why he would be worried, asking if he had “done something wrong”.

The judge-alone trial continues.

Originally published as Body modifier allegedly made threats to prevent tummy tuck client seeking treatment, court hears

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