Manslaughter-accused Australian body modifier planned to rip out teeth of 'nervous young girl', court hears

Brendan Russell.
Brendan Russell. Photo credit: AAP screenshot via The Australian

An Australian body modifier on trial for the alleged manslaughter and maiming of his clients during procedures he performed talked about ripping out a "nervous" young girl's wisdom teeth, a court has heard.

Brendan Leigh Russell, who worked in a parlour on Sydney's Central Coast, was charged with manslaughter after he implanted a plastic snowflake in the hand of a woman who later died from sepsis, AAP reported.

Russell has pleaded not guilty to that charge, as well genital mutilation deliberately causing grievous bodily harm. The charges are in relation to procedures carried out on three women from 2015-2017.

He's on trial at the Sydney District Court, which heard on Monday a statement from former colleague Lawrence O'Neil. 

Russell reportedly told O'Neil he planned on "doing dentistry" on a woman and had "been up all night watching YouTube learning how to do it".

"The customer was a nervous young girl. They all were," O'Neil said in his statement to police, as reported by AAP.

O'Neil said he told Russell "you don't know what you're doing" and the procedure never went ahead. According to ABC Australia, the court heard Russell eventually agreed the measure was "way too advanced".

The trial continues.