Accused CBD stabber poses too great a risk for bail, court told

3 months ago 18

The victim of a random CBD stabbing is extremely distressed that her alleged attacker could be released back into the community, and police say there are no bail conditions that would keep the public safe.

Lauren Darul, 32, appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via a videolink on Tuesday, after she allegedly randomly stabbed Wan Lai, 36, as Lai was walking to work along Little Bourke Street on October 2.

CCTV footage showing the moment a woman (left) allegedly stabbed Wan Lai in Melbourne’s CBD on October 2.

First constable Damian Elliott told the court police opposed bail, and said the risk of releasing Darul into the community was too great.

“The accused stabbed someone at 7.30 in the morning in broad daylight. I don’t understand how there could be any bail conditions that would mitigate that risk,” Elliott said.

Footage of the incident emerged later in October, adding to the wider debate around the state government’s efforts to address rising violent crime in the city.

The court heard on Tuesday the attack had left Lai with a collapsed lung, and while she did not require ongoing surgery, she remained emotionally distressed.

“The victim was extremely distressed [when police arrived],” Elliott told the court.

“She was crying. She was calling out in distress. She was surrounded by three or four members of the public who were holding her up.

“The victim is not supportive at all for the accused [to be] granted bail. She’s advised that she and her family would be extremely distressed knowing that [Darul] would be released back into the community to possibly further offend.”

Elliott said police arrested Darul at the homeless shelter where she had been staying about 90 minutes after the alleged attack.

Darul appeared agitated and confused during the arrest, Elliott said, and “was referring to herself as the king of Australia”.

The prosecution told the court Darul was subject to a combination of bail and summons for 19 outstanding matters at the time of the alleged stabbing, which suggested these measures were not preventing her from serious offending.

Mary Paterson from the Law and Advocacy Centre for Women told the court she stayed in touch with Darul to make sure she attended court hearings, and said that if she was granted bail, there would be health and housing support available for her.

Elliott said staff at the homeless shelter had told police they would evict Dural if she was granted bail over safety concerns.

The prosecution argued their case was strong, given the alleged offending was captured by a CCTV camera and police body-worn camera. They said Dural had been found wearing the same clothes as the person in the CCTV footage and holding a knife.

“Between 2013 and 2023, the applicant … in my submission, we see the same repeat cycle of criminogenic offending occurring,” the prosecutor said.

“It’s clear the applicant has had access to multiple support services, and despite that, has demonstrated a lack of insight into her behaviour and has not had any salient impact on her offending ceasing.”

At one point during Tuesday’s hearing, Darul interjected to tell magistrate Timothy Bourke, “I want to clean up my life”. She said she didn’t plan to return to using drugs.

The court heard that if Darul was granted bail, she would be placed on an inpatient treatment order, which would compel an authorised psychiatrist to provide her with mental health treatment and to be placed into housing.

Elliott said this did not bring him comfort.

“From my experience of working with Victoria Police, those that are on inpatient treatment orders are known to abscond,” he said. “It’s not a secure facility, such as a correctional centre.”