West Ryde pokie machine horror as punter is stabbed for his $2700 win by a jealous gambler who’d just lost thousands in the Sydney pub

Chilling video shows the moment a man is slashed with a knife then stabbed in the chest for his $2,700 in winnings while playing the pokies at a Sydney hotel.

Jonathon Antonios Habib, 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting with intent to rob, armed with an offensive weapon in Downing Centre District Court on Friday. 

Habib had been drinking and betting on the poker machines at Ryedales Tavern in West Ryde in the city’s north-west on August 15, 2022, the court heard.

After Habib had gradually lost about $2,000, he spotted another man sitting nearby as they won a $2,700 payout after putting only $100 into one of the poker machines.

Habib left the gaming room but returned half an hour later armed with a steak knife and attempted to rob the man, resulting in a 90-second scuffle that left the victim with multiple injuries. 

CCTV footage shows the moment a punter is stabbed for his $2,700 winning in a Sydney pub 

The man was facing the poker machine when Habib walked up behind him, tapped him on the arm and ordered him to ‘take out your money’, reports the Hills Shire Times. 

Video shows Habib, wearing a hi-vis jumper, grabbing at the man and wildly swinging the knife, slashing his jumper, as the victim tries to get up from his stool.

Habib repeated ‘I want all your money’ to the pubgoer before stabbing him in the left side of his chest, the court heard.

The man, who was in immediate pain, then walks forward in an attempt to leave the room but Habib who turned and ran after stabbing him turns back around and can be seen pushing him back into a glass window. 

The pair then scuffled again, causing a cut on Habib’s own hand, before he fled when the man called for bystanders to alert the police. 

The victim suffered cuts to his upper arm and a small puncture wound to his chest.

Johnathon Habib then turned and ran after stabbing the man in the chest as other pubgoers watch on in shock

But as the man tried to leave he turned back around and pushed his victim back into a glass window

The court heard Habib was drinking heavily on the night of the assault and had ongoing alcohol, drug and untreated mental health issues.

He had also recently developed a gambling problem in regards to poker machines in particular and claimed his behaviour was partly because of his alcohol and drug use and partly due to the ‘influence of his social circle’. 

Judge Georgia Turner said the assault was ‘serious and sustained’ but conceded his behaviour was likely affected by his alcohol and drug ‘abuse’ and his mental health. 

Habib called his actions ‘horrific’ and said he had ‘so much sorrow’ for not only the victim but his family and for those who witnessed his attack. 

Judge Turner noted his remorse and that he had the support of his family but that his rehabilitation would depend on his ability to remain clean from alcohol and drugs. 

He was sentenced to three years and three months jail and will be eligible for parole after one year and 11 months.