'People don't open the door to thugs': Tale of spear attack on cop 'ludicrous', court hears
A chat with police officers believed to be thugs before attacking them with a spear was a tale that should be swiftly rejected, a Sydney jury has been told.
Giving closing submissions in Rory James Constantino's trial on Monday, crown prosecutor Leon Apostle urged the jury to use common sense about what actually happened when police attended the accused's south west Sydney home on June 11, 2019 with an arrest warrant for his father Ricky.
Constantino claims he did not know the two men dressed in plain clothes were police.
READ MORE: Man accused of stabbing police officer with makeshift spear didn't realise he was a cop
Rory James Constantino is accused of attacking a police officer with a spear. AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi
He says he was acting in self defence against men who busted down his door and chased him through the house.
Apostle called this story "absolute nonsense", saying the 30-year old would not have opened the door to his Sadleir family home at 6.40am and then merely chatted to those outside.
"People don't open doors to thugs, people don't converse with thugs and tell them that dad is asleep," Apostle told the jury.
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Senior Constable Jacob Vella was stabbed in the neck with the makeshift bladed spear. PR IMAGE
"That is a ludicrous suggestion and quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, it's an insult to your intelligence."
Constantino faces one charge of recklessly wounding Senior Constable Jacob Vella by stabbing him in the neck with the makeshift bladed spear.
The Downing Centre District Court jury was ordered to find Constantino not guilty of two further counts brought by the Crown of wounding Vella to prevent the lawful arrest of his father and of recklessly wounding the cop with the intention of causing actual bodily harm.
The weapon allegedly used in the stabbing. Supplied
Despite his claims he thought his home was being invaded, Constantino knew the two men were police but was being combative, aggressive and defiant in trying to prevent them from getting to his father, the jury heard.
"The accused, on the crown case, was angry. He'd dug his heels in," Apostle said.
The other officer who visited the home, Senior Constable Grant Koschel gave evidence that he had shown his badge twice and that, despite being in plain clothes, had his firearm and handcuffs clearly displayed on his waist.
The trial continues.
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