Trial for alleged sword attacking realtor

Defence lawyer Jonathan Nigro said the 45-year-old would be held in custody until he could find "appropriate accommodation".

Howard is facing four charges following the alleged pre-dawn attack on two women then aged 27 and 29 in an Annandale home in February 2021. 

He was formally arraigned from prison on Friday where he pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.

But he pleaded not guilty to two other charges of intending to murder one woman, and intending to cause her grievous bodily harm.

The Crown rejected these pleas and a trial date was set down for November 7, estimated to last seven days. 

The former principal of Ray White Balmain allegedly took four Viagra pills before the assault, a Newtown Local Court was told at a February 2021 hearing.

He then allegedly forcibly tongue kissed one woman while strangling her. 

"The only reason for a person ... (taking) four Viagra pills before strangling and forcing his tongue down someone's throat is he must have had a sexual intent," Anthony Sissian, one of the women's lawyers, said in February. 

After allegedly punching the younger woman in the head four times, he is accused of striking the 29-year-old with a samurai sword when she intervened. 

The younger woman managed to escape "by chance".

"I hate to think if he didn't slip over and he did get to carry out his will," Mr Sissian said.

He then fled the home but was detained by police in a nearby street and taken to hospital for injuries sustained during his arrest. 

The women cannot be named for legal reasons after Mr Sissian argued it would expose them to "further significant, undue distress in addition to the extreme physical and psychological trauma they have already experienced".

Howard was stood down from Ray White pending the resolution of the charges against him. 

Mr Nigro said his client may be able to enter into bail from Monday while his matter is next due back in court in September.