Darul had previously been denied bail over the stabbing.
The alleged weapon.
Darul was arrested in October after allegedly ambushing and stabbing 36-year-old sushi chef Wan Lai in the chest while the victim was walking to work on Little Bourke Street about 7.40am.
CCTV footage shows Darul allegedly fleeing the scene and Lai clutching her chest and falling to the ground, while shocked witnesses, paramedics and police rush to her aid.
Darul has been charged with recklessly causing injury and intentionally causing injury over the attack.
This week, defence barrister Julian McMahon, SC, urged the judge to release his client on bail, saying Darul would complete mental health treatment before returning to live at supportive housing service Make Room on Little Bourke Street.
Law and Advocacy Centre for Women case manager Mary Paterson said Darul had been served with an eviction notice there, due to endangering the safety of others, but that there were plans to fight this.
Since being arrested, Darul had decided to address their drug and alcohol issues and was looking forward to going to Thomas Embling, Paterson said.
In the lead-up to the October stabbing, Paterson said she and other case workers were aware that Darul’s health was declining with more delusions than usual, but due to the “realities of life” and workers going on leave, no meeting was convened.
A psychiatrist told the court Darul would need about 18 weeks at the facility to monitor the use of the new treatment and could be treated at the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s mental health ward if required.
McMahon noted while the prosecution’s case was strong, the stabbing appeared to be related to mental health issues. He said he was concerned his client may fall through the gaps without significant outside support.
In opposing bail, Crown prosecutor Richard Pirrie said Darul had previously been issued 16 warrants for failing to appear on bail, nine priors for failing to appear on bail and was on bail at the time of the alleged stabbing.
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If found guilty, he said Darul could face five to seven years in jail.
“We say it’s an overwhelming prosecution case, all caught on CCTV footage,” he said.
“While all the support being offered is commendable, it’s all been provided while Darul is in custody. That’s the reality of the situation.”
Pirrie said Darul had been using a significant amount of ice before the arrest and had a history of not taking prescribed medications for schizophrenia.
“It paints a very unhappy picture,” he said.
Pirrie said the alleged offending had increased in seriousness and was unprovoked against random members of the public who happened to be “in the wrong spot at the wrong time”.
The court heard Darul is accused of carrying an imitation firearm through the CBD on January 29, spitting in a person’s face while they walked through the city with their family, lashing out at others, and, on August 21, was disarmed after carrying a kitchen knife into a grocery store.
“Surprisingly, she demanded the knife be returned,” Pirrie said.
All of this, including the stabbing in October, occurred while Darul was living at Make Room, to where the accused originally wished to be bailed.
Darul is due to return to court on January 20.
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