In her opening address, prosecutor Mary-Jane Thomas said stabbing victims Ryan Boe and George Nielson were in a group of drunk people who left a Queenstown bar at about 2.15am.
When walking up Beach St, the group got involved in an argument and fight with another group, which included Harrington.
Boe ran up to a man in Harrington’s group and hit him over the head with a bottle, Thomas said.
Harrington then pulled out a knife and stabbed Boe four times. When Nielson became involved, Harrington stabbed him once, Thomas said.
Both victims were flown to Dunedin Hospital for urgent surgery; Boe for a lacerated liver and Nielson for a lacerated stomach and gall bladder.