Brothel threat sparked knife fight akin to Kill Bill films, court told

A death threat at a Sydney brothel sparked a samurai-sword wielding scene reminiscent of the Kill Bill films, a court has heard.

After his receptionist wife claimed the boyfriend of a woman she worked with at the brothel had threatened to kill her with a knife, Tong Yuan Lee organised a meeting.

The court heard the father of two arranged to talk at the Sydney city unit of the man accused of threatening his wife.

"My intention was to ask him and talk to him why he went to my wife's shop to threaten her with killing her," Lee said through an interpreter at a sentencing hearing at Downing Centre District Court.

"I had a knife but I didn't plan to stab him."

Lee recruited his friend, Kian Ann Tan, 33, to come with him with a Swiss Army knife.

Lee's barrister, Frank Santisi, said the other man, who the court heard had a mental illness and drug problems, walked out of the unit block's lobby with a samurai sword as if he were in a Kill Bill movie.

The Quentin Tarantino films are reknowned for their gory sword-fighting scenes.

Lee told the court he was very angry after the man struck him with the sword.

He stabbed the man while they struggled on the ground, he said.

Later, under questioning from the prosecutor, Lee admitted he stabbed him again when the man tried to run away.

The man suffered eight wounds, one of which penetrated 10cm deep.

Lee said he turned himself in to police and held out his wrists saying, "I did wrong."

Tan, who had overstayed his visa, turned himself in a fortnight later.

Tan's lawyer said Lee and Tan were reacting only to the situation.

Lee's wife has returned to his native country of Malaysia to look after their children.

Lee and Tan have pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

They will be sentenced on August 29.