There were red flags about the mental health of Canberra man Alex Ophel only 17 days before he stabbed two female students at the Australian National University (ANU) two years ago, a court has heard.
Mr Ophel, 26, pleaded not guilty by reason of mental impairment to two counts of attempted murder in the ACT Supreme Court.
It is alleged on the day Mr Ophel went to the Fellows Oval when he was on day release from the Gawanggal mental health facility, which had deemed him well enough to be allowed some freedom.
He is accused of hitting a man on the head with a frying pan, before stabbing one woman who had been sitting under a tree reading a book.
He later chased and stabbed a second female student as she ran away.
One of the stabbing victims told the court she struggles with people standing or running close behind her to this day. (ABC News: Patrick Bell)
The second stabbing victim told the court she was enjoying her lunch break between tutorials with her friend when Mr Ophel allegedly ran up behind her and launched his attack.
“For months I was unable to walk past a stranger, without imagining all the violent ways they could hurt or kill me in that moment,” she said.
“To this day I still struggle with people running or standing close behind me.”
She also addressed Mr Ophel directly in her victim impact statement.
“My life was not yours to change, and not a single day goes by that doesn’t remind me of what you did,” she told him.
Victim’s survival a ‘miracle’
The most seriously injured was the first stabbing victim, who told the court her survival was a “miracle” due only to the emergency treatment she received.
The woman said she was “riddled with flashbacks from that day”.
But she questioned why Mr Ophel was free at all.
He had been placed in a mental health facility after pleading not guilty by reason of mental impairment in 2017 to five counts of attempted murder, after a baseball bat attack on his classmates at ANU.
The court heard the first stabbing victim was sitting under a tree reading a book when she was allegedly attacked by Alex Ophel. (ABC News)
The woman said she remained “cynical” about the ACT’s mental health system, which had determined Mr Ophel was fit to be free in the community despite his mental illness.
“I do not understand how there could be such a relapse,” she said.
“It flies in the face of common sense, and suggests the mental health system is broken.
“I fear for the wellbeing of other members of the public, and I will never feel safe again.”
‘He should never have been allowed out’
Prosecutor Sam McLaughlin said there were reports to the court by experts which suggested Mr Ophel has treatment resistant schizophrenia.
“What is apparent is this accused has managed to pull the wool over a number of mental health professionals eyes already,” he said.
“The accused’s ability to mask illness, or feign wellness, is of significant concern to the community.”
Defence barrister John Purnell told the court Alex Ophel should never have been given day release from the Gawanggal mental health facility. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Defence barrister John Purnell agreed.
“He should never have been allowed out,” Mr Purnell said.
He noted those who let Mr Ophel out no doubt acted in good faith, but said only 17 days before the incident a doctor had found he experienced visual hallucinations and violent fantasies.
During today’s special hearing the prosecution said they would accept the plea of not guilty by reason of mental impairment.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum must now decide if she will accept the pleas, and if so, what sentence Mr Ophel should receive.
He was already serving a sentence of just over 10 years for the earlier attack.
Mr Ophel will learn his fate on Thursday.