A 22-year-old man underwent five hours of surgery after suffering a serious leg wound in the alleged Ballina machete attack near Woolworths on Sunday evening.
Emergency services were called to River Street at about 8pm after the passenger on an e-bike allegedly struck the man on the lower right leg with a machete following a brief discussion.
The two riders, believed to have been known to him, fled before paramedics rushed him to Lismore Base Hospital in a serious condition.
Two arrested over Ballina machete attack
Akeiam Dennis Cook, 25, and his aunt, Tahnee Lois Daley, 33, both of Ballina, were arrested when officers searched a Treelands Crescent home at about 1pm on Tuesday.
They were taken to Ballina Police Station and each charged with reckless wounding in company.
Police alleged Cook was the passenger who produced the machete and struck the victim.
A family member of the victim exclusively told The Coast Report the wound was on the side of the man’s right leg, just below the knee, and measured about eight centimetres long and three centimetres deep.
The injury also caused a large blood clot that created pressure inside his leg, requiring surgeons to make a further incision to relieve it.
“It’s a massive wound,” the family member said.
“He’s doing well and being looked after by his family.”
The man remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Daley granted bail as Cook remains in custody
Defence lawyer Philip Crick represented both accused when their matters came before Judge L Robinson in Bail Division on Wednesday.
Cook did not appear and no bail application was made.
Sergeant Miller opposed Daley’s release, arguing her history and other factors showed risks of failing to appear, committing a serious offence and endangering the community.
Judge Robinson found Daley had an arguable defence concerning her alleged involvement and that strict bail conditions could manage the identified risks.
Daley was granted conditional bail requiring her to live at a specified address, observe a curfew, report to Lismore Police twice weekly and abstain from alcohol and non-prescribed drugs. She is prohibited from entering Ballina except for court and must not contact the victim or Cook.
Daley will appear at Ballina Local Court on September 3.
UPDATE: Cook has since pleaded guilty to reckless wounding in company and remains in custody awaiting sentence.
Daley’s charge remains before the court and has not been determined.
The Coast Report first reported the machete attack as one of two knife incidents in Ballina within about six hours on Sunday.