The man wounded during a confrontation at Murwillumbah’s Knox Park on August 6 appeared before Judge Coultas-Roberts in Bail Division on Saturday over allegations of drink-driving while disqualified twice in three days.
Nick Skoric, 65, was released on parole on July 22 after serving the eight-month non-parole period of an aggregate sentence for seven driving offences.
Fifteen days later, Skoric suffered a stab wound to his back during a confrontation with Murwillumbah builder Ram Dahl.
Dahl, 40, has been charged with reckless wounding.
During Dahl’s own bail hearing, held earlier this month, his defence lawyer, Eddie Lloyd, said he approached Skoric intending to detain him while waiting for police, and that Dahl acted in self-defence after Skoric allegedly produced a knife.
Drink-driving while disqualified twice in three days
Skoric is accused of driving while disqualified at Brunswick Heads on August 12 and returning a high-range PCA reading.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Sams told the court that Skoric was disqualified from driving until 2032.
Sergeant Sams alleged members of the public had alerted police, and that Skoric had decanted wine into water bottles and consumed alcohol while driving.
Skoric was charged and released. Sergeant Sams told the court, “Unfortunately, he wasn’t put on bail conditions.”
Two days later, Skoric was allegedly caught driving while disqualified again and returned a low-range PCA reading before being taken into custody.
‘Appalling’ driving record
During the bail hearing, Judge Coultas-Roberts traced Skoric’s driving record back to a drink-driving offence in South Australia in May 2025.
The court heard he was imprisoned over a high-range PCA offence in August 2025, convicted of mid-range and special-range PCA offences and driving while disqualified the following month, and committed further disqualified and mid-range drink-driving offences that November.
“He has an appalling record for driving,” Judge Coultas-Roberts said.
The judge also addressed submissions about Skoric’s homelessness and reliance on his vehicle for shelter.
“It has been said on his behalf that he is homeless and living in a car, and that he takes refuge in his vehicle,” she said.
“That no doubt is the case, but we’re not faced here with a man who is just driving whilst disqualified. He is driving and drinking whilst disqualified.”
Bail refused over drink-driving while disqualified allegations
Judge Coultas-Roberts refused Skoric bail over the repeated allegations of drink-driving while disqualified, finding unacceptable risks that he would commit a serious offence and endanger the safety of individuals or the community.
He is due to appear from custody at Byron Bay Local Court on August 24.
Neither Skoric nor Dahl has entered a guilty plea or been found guilty of the charges against them.
Related story: Northern Rivers stabbing: Accused man claims self-defence