Body modifier Brendan Leigh Russell pleads not guilty to female genital mutilation, manslaughter and grievous bodily harm

Brendan Leigh Russell, 40, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, female genital mutilation and grievous bodily harm with intent relating to three different women.

The Central Coast man's trial was due to begin in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court before Judge Warwick Hunt without a jury.

But he allowed an application by Russell's lawyer for the trial to be vacated to enable the defence to obtain expert reports relating to the cause of the woman's death in 2017.

He was first due to face trial in September 2020, but that date also was vacated.

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Russell, who used the "modification name" Bslicedotcom on social media, is accused of implanting the snowflake under the woman's skin, at her request, before the wound became badly infected.

He is also accused of using a branding iron to mutilate another female customer's genitals in Newcastle West in January 2015.

The third alleged victim visited his Erina tattoo and body modification business for a "tummy tuck" in 2016 but allegedly ended up in hospital with a five-cent-piece hole in her skin and severed stomach muscles.

In May last year, US body modifier Howard Rollins was found not guilty of assisting in the operation relating to the female genital mutilation charge.

In vacating the latest trial date, Judge Hunt acknowledged that those affected by the 2017 death and the two complainants in the other charges would be anxious to have the proceedings concluded.

But he noted Russell's prior trial funding issues and the significance of the cause of death in the manslaughter charge.

The judge said he intended to stay with the trial and would order a timetable for the preparations of reports and other matters before the yet undated hearing.

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