An ex-champion surfer is fighting for his life in hospital after being stabbed multiple times while trying to save his mother during an alleged home invasion.
Daniel Lowe, 49, was sleeping in the back shed of his elderly mother’s home on Coane Street in Merewether, Newcastle, NSW, when he heard her screaming about 3am on Tuesday.
A group of teenagers are said to have broken into the property when his mother, Nadine, 75, saw them.
Mr Lowe, a former Merewether Surfboard Club champion and local Rugby Union player, ran to the house and confronted the alleged intruders.
A ‘scuffle’ broke out between the two parties, during which Mr Lowe was stabbed several times in the torso, according to police.
Former champion surfer Daniel Lowe (pictured), 49, is fighting for his life in hospital after being stabbed multiple times during a home invasion in Merewether, Newcastle
The teenagers are said to have fled the house and were chased down the street by Mr Lowe, who was bleeding profusely from his wounds.
Emergency services were called to the property when Mr Lowe collapsed at the scene.
Paramedics arrived and tried to stop the bleeding.
The champion surfer was then taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
His mother suffered minor injuries during the alleged home invasion. She was also taken to John Hunter Hospital where she was treated.
Mr Lowe underwent hours of emergency surgery and is currently in an induced coma in intensive care.
According to police, a ‘scuffle’ broke out between Mr Lowe and the alleged intruders at the property before he was stabbed in the torso (pictured, police at the scene on Tuesday)
The teenagers are said to have fled the house and were chased down the street by Mr Lowe, who was bleeding profusely from his wounds.
A crime scene has been cordoned off at the property and detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Six teenagers – two boys aged 13 and 14, and three girls aged 14, 15 and 15 – have been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged home invasion.
“A 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were charged with special aggravated burglary and committing a serious indictable offence,” NSW Police said.
‘A 13-year-old boy was charged with particularly aggravated burglary and committing a serious criminal offence, and breach of bail.
“A 15-year-old girl was charged with breaching bail.
All four were refused bail to appear in the Children’s Court on Wednesday, September 20.
“A 14-year-old girl was charged with property in her personal custody that was suspected of being stolen,” police said.
She was given strict conditional bail and is due to appear in the Children’s Court on Monday, October 9.
“Following further investigation by investigators, a sixth teen, a 14-year-old boy, was arrested at a home in Raymond Terrace at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday, September 19,” police said.
“He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station where he was charged with particularly aggravated burglary and committing grievous wounding, attempted murder and reckless wounding in company.
The boy was refused bail to appear in juvenile court on Wednesday.
Six teenagers have been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged home invasion
A forensic team examined the crime scene as police cordoned off Coane Street on Tuesday.
Detectives are trying to determine if the incident is related to two other attempted home invasions that occurred minutes earlier on nearby streets.
Newcastle has seen a rise in home burglaries and car thefts, prompting police to set up Strike Force Badger in January to investigate home invaders and car thieves.