Plea on Mokbel hit

Grim details emerge of prison attack as assailants admit guilt

DRUG kingpin Tony Mokbel was knocked unconscious before being stabbed up to seven times in a “frenzied” assault with a makeshift knife at Barwon Prison.

His attackers, 21-year-olds Teira Bennett and Eldea Teuira, pleaded guilty to two charges in Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday over the attack that left Mokbel with a brain injury and cognitive impairments.

Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill withdrew two charges, including attempted murder, after the duo agreed to plead guilty to intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence in relation to Mokbel, and recklessly causing injury over the stabbing of another inmate, 31-year-old Steven Logan, during the February 11 incident.

Bennett and Teuira were celebrating Bennett’s 21st birthday shortly before the incident unfolded.

Court documents reveal Mokbel showed up at the prison-approved party about 2.30pm and handed Bennett a piece of paper.

CCTV footage showed Bennett appearing to read the paper, before briefly embracing Mokbel.

But about an hour later, after Mokbel returned from the prison’s visitor centre, he was set upon by the men.

Bennett punched Mokbel to the head. Mokbel had no chance to defend himself and fell backward on to a concrete footpath and appeared to be knocked unconscious.

“Teuira pulls a ‘shiv’ from his shorts and crouches over Mokbel and appears to be stabbing him in a frenzied motion up to seven times,” the prosecution document reveals.

“As this is unfolding, Bennett kicks Mokbel’s head three times with apparent force.”

Prosecutors said other prisoners, including Logan who was stabbed once, tried to intervene.

Both men are expected to face a County Court plea hearing on October 4.