A father and son who viciously bashed a stranger on a busy city street before stabbing him multiple times and stomping on his head had ‘no motive’ for the horrific crime.
Convicted criminals Jared Pihlgren, 53, and his son Jay Stephens, 23, pleaded guilty to the random attack in County Court of Victoria on Tuesday.
The pair admitted to assaulting a 35-year-old man who was walking along Lonsdale St in Melbourne about 12.30am on December 17, 2021.
Disturbing CCTV footage shows the pair walking behind the man near a set of traffic lights before Stephens approaches and punches him in the head.
The pair trade blows and wrestle as Stephens’ father watches on before stepping in after his son falls to the ground.
As the stranger attempts to walk away, Stephens gets back to his feet and continues throwing punches.
A criminal father and son have pleaded guilty to assaulting an innocent man on a Melbourne street on December 17, 2021
The victim manages to overpower Stephens at one point and throws him to the ground.
This prompts Pihlgren to pull out a knife and stab the man in the back.
Pihlgren proceeds to stab the man multiple times and slashes the knife across the back of his head.
The shocking vision sees the man’s body go limp as blood pools underneath him.
Shortly after, Stephens returns and cruelly stomps on the victim’s head before the pair fled the scene.
Jared Pihlgren, 53, stabbed the man multiples times in the back and slashed his head before his son Jay Stephens (pictured), 23, stomped on the victim’s head
Bystanders gathered around the victim and called for an ambulance.
He was rushed to hospital where his heart stopped for three minutes and he had to undergo emergency surgery.
His family flew to Australia from Korea and initially believed their son was going to die.
Police managed to track down and arrest Pihlgren and Stephens just hours after the assault, reports the Herald Sun.
They were able to locate the father and son thanks to CCTV footage, which showed Stephens’ distinct red shorts and Pihlgren’s white hoodie.
Pihlgren told detectives he was ‘trying to break up’ the fight between his son and the man when he was initially interviewed.
He fronted County Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury. Stephens also pleaded guilty.
Pihlgren, who pleaded guilty to the assault and is awaiting sentencing, has an extensive 30-year criminal history that includes weapons offences, assault, property damage and making death threats
Prosecutor Jamie Singh told the court the man would’ve died from his wounds if he was not treated by hospital staff.
The victim also said he would leave Australia if Pihlgren was ever released from prison.
Pihlgren has an extensive criminal past that dates back 30 years, with charges in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
He has previously been charged with weapons offences, assault, property damage and making death threats.
Stephens and his younger brother, Isaiah, were convicted of assaulting assistant police commissioner Chris O’Neill near Heyington train station in Toorak on June 2019.
His sons Jay and Isaiah Stephens (pictured) assaulted assistant police commissioner Chris O’Neill at a train station in June 2019. Jay was jailed for 20 months
Mr O’Neill confronted the duo when they were booted from a train for anti-social behaviour including vomiting and urinating.
The brothers proceeded to punch the assistant commissioner in front and from behind before fleeing.
Stephens was sentenced to 20 months jail while Isaiah was slapped with a two and a half year Community Corrections Order with 200 hours community work back in May 2020.
Pihlgren and Stephens will be sentenced over the assault of the man on April 13.
DailyMail
