A senior police officer has praised the 'impressive' efforts of an elderly man who shot an alleged intruder after he and his wife were stabbed at their rural NSW home.
Police allege the 75-year-old man and 72-year-old woman, identified as Keith and Dianne Blessing, were attacked by a knife-wielding man in their home at Torrington, a small village in northern NSW, just after midnight on Thursday.
Ms Blessing 'collapsed with a chest wound' while her husband was slashed across his abdomen, police say. Mr Blessing called triple-0 as their alleged attacker retreated onto the home's veranda.
The alleged attacker can now be named as Joshua Dylan Trethewey. Police say the 34-year-old was shot by the older man as he tried to get back into the house.
Mr Trethewey has been charged with two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and is due to front a NSW court at a later date.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, New England Police Superintendent Chris McKinnon said Mr Blessing had managed to grab a knife from the kitchen and slash Mr Trethewey during the ordeal.
'He certainly did his best under very difficult circumstances to defend himself and his partner,' Superintendent McKenna said. 'It was quite impressive, given the extent of the injuries that he suffered.'
Superintendent McKenna did not comment on whether charges would be pursued in relation to Mr Blessing's actions, but said people were 'entitled to use reasonable force to defend themselves'.
'This (older) male had obviously received quite critical injuries up to that point … but all of these things will form part of our investigation,' he said.
Superintendent McKenna said nothing had been stolen from the home and Mr Trethewey had a 'limited' criminal history. It is also believed Mr Trethewey was not known to the couple and was not living in Torrington.
The couple were treated at the scene for serious injuries before being flown to Gold Coast Hospital, where they remain in a critical but stable condition. Mr Trethewey was taken to Armidale Hospital under police guard.
The 34-year-old has since been charged with two counts of cause wounding/grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder.
Criminal lawyer Sam Macedone said Mr Blessing was 'entitled to defend himself' provided there was no proof of 'any force that was over-the top'.
'What is important in any self-defence claim is what is going through the mind of that person. The fear they have, and whether they feel they have to do whatever it takes to protect themselves, is how an outsider will decide what is reasonable and what is not,' Mr Macedone said.
'I think if the other bloke wasn't armed, if he hadn't been stabbed and given the age differences, then the shooting probably wouldn't have been justified. The fact that he'd already been stabbed by this bloke, who was a lot younger and presumably a lot fitter than him, the fact his wife had already been severely injured, means there would have been enough fear in his mind to do whatever he could to prevent this bloke getting entry again.'
'If this bloke is trying to re-enter, you know full well he's not doing it to give you a hug.'
A man named Norm called into 2GB Breakfast on Thursday morning claiming to be a close friend of the couple – who he identified as Keith and Diane – saying the man 'wouldn't hurt a fly'.
'They're living a peaceful, calm life, up there and some mongrel comes in and does this to him,' he said. 'They put fruit out the front for people to come and get so they can look after their neighbours.'
