A man is fighting for his life after being allegedly attacked with a hammer at a Sydney hospital by a woman he knew who claimed he had stolen her brother’s ashes, a court has heard.
Viki Graham, 46, was refused bail and will spend at least two months behind bars after she was charged with wounding the 63-year-old man while he lay in a bed at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred hospital.
The court was told the man suffered a skull fracture, bleeding on the brain and a seizure in the alleged attack and was taken to intensive care in a critical condition.
Graham, who works part-time at a local pub, walked into the hospital and spoke with a nurse shortly after midnight on Thursday, police said.
The nurse told the woman she could not visit the ward because it was after visiting hours, prosecutors alleged in bail court on Thursday.
Graham is accused of ignoring the nurse and entering anyway, allegedly saying she “just [wanted] to talk to” the man.
When she found the victim, she drew a hammer with a pink handle from a bag and struck him firmly on the right side of his head, police allege.
Acting Judge Judith Sweeney said the man had been in hospital since January.
“This was a gratuitously violent attack,” the judge said.
Police said Graham tried to escape the ward after the attack but the doors had been closed.
According to the police statement of alleged facts heard in court, after her arrest Graham told officers “I smashed him with a hammer” and said the patient “stole [her] brother’s ashes”.
The 46-year-old was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in jail.
Graham was unsuccessful in her bid for bail after appearing via a video link from Newtown police station in a long, black waterproof coat.
Speaking outside the hospital, the Sydney local health district chief executive, Deb Willcox, said the facility had designated visiting hours, but the buildings were accessible 24 hours a day.
“Our hospital is an open public building where people can gain access any time of the day or the evening,” she said.
“We do whatever we can to enable people and visitors and friends and loved ones to see the patients.”
Willcox said the man had been in the hospital for some time and was well-known and liked by staff.
“By all accounts [he’s] a really lovely person that the staff are very fond of,” she said.
There were several other patients in beds in the same ward at the time of the alleged attack but Willcox said no one else was hurt.
She said the incident would be investigated by the hospital to determine if improvements could be made.
“I also want to acknowledge our staff, who acted very, very swiftly and promptly.”
Graham will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on 4 June.
