A woman accused of attacking a patient with a hammer inside a Sydney hospital has been denied bail after a court heard the alleged victim was someone she knew and that she claimed he had stolen her brother’s ashes.
Viki Graham, 46, was charged after NSW police said she allegedly wounded a 63-year-old man at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred hospital. The man was in a bed at the time of the alleged attack, according to the court hearing.
The matter came before court on Thursday, where it was heard that the man is fighting for his life after the alleged assault. Graham was refused bail and will remain in custody for at least two months.
Police allege Graham struck the man in the head with a hammer while he was in hospital. She has been charged with grievous bodily harm.
The hearing also heard Graham’s alleged claim that the man had stolen her brother’s ashes. That allegation was presented in court as part of the account of the incident, which has left the older man in a critical condition.
Royal Prince Alfred hospital, one of Sydney’s major public hospitals, was the setting for the alleged attack, which has prompted serious concern because it reportedly took place while the man was receiving care in a hospital bed.
The case remains before the courts, and Graham is expected to spend the immediate future in jail as the matter proceeds. The allegations have not been tested in court.
