Body modifier accused of killing a client with a plastic snowflake hand implant fails to show up to court because he’s started a new job
- Brendan Leigh Russell failed to appear in the Gosford District Court Thursday
- Russell, 38 was expected to formally plead not guilty to charges of manslaughter
- Also charged with female genital mutilation and causing grievous bodily harm
- He is accused of implanting plastic snowflake in a woman’s hand causing death
- Another man accused of genital mutilation – Howard Rollins – appeared in court
- Rollins, 42 – who calls himself ‘Luna Cobra’ – formally pleaded not guilty
A body modifier accused of implanting a plastic snowflake in a woman’s hand causing blood poisoning leading to her death has failed to appear in court because he had started a new job.
Brendan Leigh Russell, 38, had been due to appear in the Gosford District Court on the New South Wales Central Coast on Thursday.
He was expected to formally plead not guilty to charges of manslaughter, female genital mutilation and causing grievous bodily harm.
A body modifier accused of implanting a plastic snowflake in a woman’s (pictured) hand causing blood poisoning leading to her death has failed to appear in court because he had started a new job
Brendan Leigh Russell, 38, had been due to appear in the Gosford District Court on the New South Wales Central Coast on Thursday
‘He’s chosen to go to work than come to court to face serious charges,’ Judge David Wilson said when told Russell would not be appearing because of his new job.
The judge ordered Russell to appear before him on Friday where he is expected to enter pleas of not guilty and a trial date will be set.
His lawyer is expected to apply on Friday for separate trials for Russell and his co-accused, body modifier Howard Rollins.
Police claim Russell implanted the snowflake under Samantha Hegyl’s right hand in early 2017 but when she complained of being in pain, the body modifier allegedly urged her to visit him and not go to hospital.
Russell then allegedly rotated the snowflake and inserted a second one in Ms Hegyl’s heavily infected hand but she died weeks later.
Russell is also accused of used a branding iron to mutilate another female customer’s genitals.
Court documents claimed Russell, who is not a qualified medical practitioner and had used his ‘modification name’ Bslicedotcom on social media, mutilated the woman by ‘burning the labia majora off the victim with a branding iron’ in early 2016 at Newcastle West.
Russell’s third alleged victim was a woman who visited his Erina tattoo and body modification business in late 2016 for a ‘tummy tuck’ but ended up in hospital with a five-cent-piece hole in her skin and severed stomach muscles.
Police claim Russell implanted the snowflake under Samantha Hegyl’s right hand in early 2017 but when she complained of being in pain, the body modifier allegedly urged her to visit him and not go to hospital (stock image)
Rollins, 42 – who calls himself ‘Luna Cobra’ – did appear in court on Thursday where he formally pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting female genital mutilation.
Rollins is accused of coaching Russell to perform the 2016 procedure where the branding iron was allegedly used.
Body modification is not legislated in NSW, however members of the so-called skin penetration industry are required to follow public health regulations.
Russell’s Instagram profile included images of split tongues, implants under the skin and ‘scarification’ – etching or burning permanent designs into the skin.
Howard Rollins (pictured), 42 – who calls himself ‘Luna Cobra’ – did appear in court on Thursday where he formally pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting female genital mutilation