Alexandria stabbing: Anthony Monteleone charged over the alleged stabbing of his former girlfriend outside a popular gym

A man has been charged after a woman was allegedly stabbed in a “targeted” domestic violence attack outside a Sydney gym.

Anthony Monteleone, 45, was arrested on Thursday morning after presenting himself at Dee Why police station.

He was taken to Manly Police Station where he was charged with causing wounding/grievous bodily harm to a person with intent to murder (DV) and breaching a prohibition/restriction in the AVO (Domestic).

He will appear in Manly Local Court on Friday.

Emergency services rushed to the Crunch Fitness gym in Alexandria, in the city’s south, around 12.30pm on Wednesday after a man allegedly stabbed a 39-year-old woman in the car park before fleeing in a vehicle.

The woman, who was rushed to hospital in a serious but stable condition, suffered injuries to her neck, upper body and head during the attack.

A witness told Nine News he saw the woman bleeding from her neck and ears.

One witness, named Claire, told the ABC she was about to enter the gym when she heard “a scream” and said she saw the man on top of the woman.

‘Because of the distance, I wasn’t sure what he was trying to do to her. It looked like he was attacking her or trying to rob her,” she said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said Wednesday’s stabbing was a “horrific and shocking” attack.

“It would be any woman’s worst nightmare to find themselves in a situation like that, especially if someone has a domestic violence order in place,” he said.

‘It’s important to say that these events are not rare either. They are common, and the number and frequency of domestic violence in NSW represents an absolute emergency in the state.”

His comments come as the government is set to introduce bail reform in domestic violence cases, with the Prime Minister signaling on Thursday that he was open to further reforms in the way arrest warrants (AVO) are monitored.

The attack comes a day after the NSW government announced the introduction of greater police powers, which would allow authorities to ‘magic’ people looking for knives in areas such as shopping centers and transport hubs.

The laws, which are likely to be introduced in NSW Parliament next week, will be made available in circumstances where a relevant gun/knife crime has occurred in the last six months and will be available to police for 12 hours, with the option to extension.