The daughter of a NSW couple st*bbed in their home near the Queensland border, says they have a “long road ahead” and the family has been “deeply traumatised”.
Keith and Di Blessing, both aged in their 70s, were inside their home in Torrington, south-west of Tenterfield, just after midnight yesterday when 34-year-old Joshua Dylan Trethewey allegedly entered and st*bbed them both with a knife.
The daughter of Keith and Di Blessing, who were injured in a home invasion at their property in Torrington, has thanked the community for their support. Nine
Keith, 75, was able to fend the alleged attacker off with a knife before shooting him when he attempted to re-enter the property.
The couple were treated at the scene before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital, where they remain, with their children and grandchildren by their bedsides.
The couple were both listed as being in a critical condition when they arrived at the hospital but Keith in particular, was in a very bad way.
He’d suffered stab wounds to his stomach and has since undergone surgery and was placed in an induced coma.
In a positive update, both Di and Keith have managed to speak with their daughter Kathy this evening, as the family praise the care the couple have received.
Earlier in the day, Kathy thanked the community for their support.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has supported our family,” she said.
“It has been comforting to know we have the support of the wider community.
“This has been deeply traumatising to our family and no family should ever have to go through this.
“We are very proud of our parents and their bravery.
“They’re recovering in the hospital here getting excellent care. We have a long road ahead.
“We want to thank the media here for their respectful reporting and going forward, for our family’s privacy.”
Husband shot intruder before police arrived
Detective Superintendent Chris McKinnon yesterday told 2GB Keith was able to retrieve a knife despite his wounds, and wounded the 34-year-old in the confrontation.
The alleged attacker, who police say is not known to the couple, went out onto the property’s verandah while Keith was able to call Triple Zero and emergency services raced to the scene.
Before officers arrived at the property, the younger man tried to re-enter the property when Keith allegedly shot him.
Di and Keith Blessing were wounded in an alleged home invasion at Torrington, NSW. Supplied
McKinnon said the gun used was a long-arm registered to the 75-year-old.
“He certainly did his best obviously under very different circumstances to defend himself and his partner,” he said.
“It was quite impressive that he was able to do that.”
McKinnon said only a single shot was fired.
Trethewey was treated for a gunshot wound to his abdomen at the property and driven to Armidale Hospital under police guard. He is in a serious but stable condition.
He has since been charged with two counts of wounding with intent to murder and faces the prospect of up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
McKinnon said the man, who had spoken briefly to police while in hospital, did not have an “extensive” criminal history.
He said it did not appear anything had been stolen from the property, and he was unsure why the alleged intruder had supposedly tried to reenter the home.
Asked whether Keith Blessing could face charges over shooting the alleged attacker, McKinnon demurred.
“A person is entitled to use reasonable force to defend themselves,” he said.
“But all of these things will form part of our investigation.”