The man threw his hands up and said, “F— off, don’t touch me, I don’t even know you.” Fineanganofo said, “You’re a man, you’re a man”, spun the knife around and put it in his pocket.
The driver “decided to run away”, but was “pursued” across the road, and then called police.
Fineanganofo struck another man’s car on the walk back, making what that driver described as a “sadistic laugh”. He stole a cooler bag containing three two-way radios from the first ute and drove away.
As another car arrived, Fineanganofo yelled “F— you” and “You wanna fight?” at the male driver, who replied, “Nah man, it’s all good, have a nice day” before going inside.
Fineanganofo reversed his car and banged on the 7-Eleven doors, which had been locked to prevent him from entering. He had “an angry smirk on his face”.
Minutes later, at Raby, Fineanganofo began following a car and flashing his lights again. Thinking something was wrong, the driver pulled over and got out.
Fineanganofo walked towards the man, “raised the knife above his head and brought it down”. The victim pushed back, but the knife struck his chest, piercing his puffer jacket and causing him to fall.
With a “calm” look and in silence, Fineanganofo waved the knife a second time. The man “thought he was going to be stabbed”.
Fineanganofo left and trailed another car before making his way to Campbelltown McDonald’s, where paramedic Steven Tougher was standing next to his ambulance on a break.
Fineanganofo approached and attacked Tougher with the knife, stabbing him 55 times. The 29-year-old, who was newly married and an expectant dad, died on the way to hospital.
Police swarmed the car park, urging Fineanganofo to “drop the knife” and “put it down”.
“Taser, Taser, Taser,” one officer said before sparks flew and Fineanganofo fell to the ground.
Fineanganofo pleaded not guilty to Tougher’s murder and was set to argue a defence of mental health impairment at trial this month.
However, prosecutors on Monday revealed psychiatrists for the Crown and the accused had agreed Fineanganofo did not know the acts were wrong, and special verdicts were available of “act proven but not criminally responsible”. This was the case for all six charges against him, including intimidation and weapons offences.
Paramedic Steven Tougher was stabbed to death outside Campbelltown McDonald’s.
In reports to the court, the psychiatrists said Fineanganofo had a mental health impairment at the time of the offending and displayed signs of an acute psychotic episode, including hallucinations, consistent with a relapse of schizophrenia. He reported hearing “voices from demons” after ceasing antipsychotic medication.
Justice David Davies is set to deliver his decision on Friday.
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