The man who helped save a NSW detective stabbed while arresting a wanted child rapist
The man who helped save the life of a heroic policeman has described the bedlam and panic after the officer was stabbed by the child rapist he was arresting.
Detective Sergeant John Breda remains in hospital Saturday evening with horrific internal injuries, but he is alive.
The man he can thank for that has spoken exclusively with 7 News, revealing his own brother is a cop.
There was chaos in the moments after shots were repeatedly fired at the Maroubra Junction Hotel.
"There's a copper down, mate," one patron said while events were unfolding.
With a child rapist dead and an officer stabbed, Brett Douglas was on the ground in thongs and shorts, trying to save a critically wounded detective.
"The police officer seeing me through the window, through the door and screamed at me, 'Come out, help me, I've been stabbed twice, put pressure on my wound,'" Mr Douglas recalled for 7 News.
That officer is Detective Sergeant John Breda, a decorated police veteran who hunts down child abusers.
As he lay bleeding another officer was on a table, pointing his gun at the attacker, who refused to put down his knife.
"He was lying on the ground and he was just covered in blood and had the knife underneath his throat and was just kinda, like not a hundred miles an hour, trying to dig it in to his throat," Mr Douglas said.
The attacker was child rapist Nick Newman who was facing six counts of aggravated sexual assault of a person under 16, indecent assault and intentionally choking a person.
He had a military background and was trained in martial arts.
Mr Douglas recalls looking at him and thinking, "he's just… in that mindset that they're looking for him and if they're coming to get him, he's not gonna go to jail… he's gonna go out fighting."
When Newman failed to front court this week police went to his former Penrith home looking for him.
He had not lived there for quite some time but neighbours remember him well when he did.
He would regularly offer to look after their young children. But the parents would often refuse because he had a reputation as being a "bit of a loose cannon".
Police were out in force at the Maroubra crime scene on Sunday. The critical incident is being managed by the Homicide Squad and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, which will report to the Coroner.
"I can indicate that Det Sgt Breda is still in a very serious but stable condition," Acting Police Commissioner Dave Hudson said outside St Vincent's Hospital in Darlinghurst where his injured colleague is being treated.
Police Minister Troy Grant, a former policeman, said "the police force continue to pray as we all do for the sergeant's recovery".
Helping save Detective Sergeant Breda has really hit home for Mr Douglas - his brother is a detective.
"They do thankless job, really," he said. "I just hope he pulls through and comes out on the other side."
