2 Aussies Stabbed, Slashed in Bali Disco Brawl
Two Australians figured in a brawl inside a disco near Bali's Kuta Beach on Friday with one getting slashed with a knife in the chest and the other stabbed in the stomach.
Chris Mete, 26, of Melbourne was operated on at the Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar and remains in serious but stable condition. His wife Mandy is watching him at the intensive care unit.
Jake Whitehead, 21, of Newcastle got 20 stitches to close his wound at the Bali International Medical Centre in Kuta. He returned to Australia on Saturday.
Bali police said two groups of locals started fighting over a spilt drink at the Bounty Discotheque Bali at 2 a.m. Whitehead said he tried to help one man being beaten up badly by pulling his attacker, according to Channel 9. The attacker then went after him and cut him in the chest and armpit.
His friend, Mete, was stabbed by another man. Two other locals were also injured.
Meanwhile, an Australian man and his Balinese companion were arrested and charged Saturday in connection with the stabbing incident that also injured two locals, said Kuta district police chief Gede Ganefo, according to Jakarta Globe. The Australian was only identified by the initial J.L. while his companion was identified as J.A., who stabbed all four victims.
The Bounty Discotheque is the same place where former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley and his family were allegedly bashed in October. Laidley claimed that he and family members were attacked without any provocation by security staff of the nightspot. The football coach was hit in the head with a bottle while his son, Kane, suffered a broken jaw.
Three Bounty security guards were later jailed.
The manager of the Bounty claimed that the security staff tried to break off a fight among members of the Laidley family.