Helen Haines's offices reopen as report details accused man's prison assessment
MP Helen Haines's offices in Australia reopened Thursday, and she is still in serious but stable condition, ABC News reports. A source says a prison assessment found the man charged was most likely in a state of psychosis, ABC News reports. Police allege it was a deliberate attack, but two sources say he calls it an accident, The Age reports.
Indi MP Helen Haines's electorate offices in Wangaratta and Wodonga reopened Thursday, ABC News reports. Her team said the offices will open three days a week for the rest of the year. It said it will not give updates on her health and asked that her privacy be respected.
Haines is in serious but stable condition at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, ABC News and The Age report. Doctors amputated her legs after she was struck by a car outside her Wangaratta office on October 19. ABC News reports she has woken from an induced coma and that Parliament granted her leave until November 26, the last sitting day of the year.
Brendan Nugent has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, ABC News and The Age report. Police allege the attack was deliberate. He is due back in court in February.
An early prison assessment of Nugent found no sign of extremism or links to political groups, ABC News reports, citing a source with knowledge of it. The outlet reports the assessment said he held delusions of being persecuted and was most likely in a state of psychosis. It says schizophrenia is being considered as one of the possible diagnoses. He is still being assessed in custody and was never formally diagnosed during earlier stays in mental health units.
Two sources familiar with the case say Nugent, 43, has said he never meant to drive into Haines and that he acted out of panic at the scene, The Age reports. He also denied holding a grudge against her and said he had voted for her, the paper reports. It says police and the security agency ASIO are still looking at whether the alleged attack was planned. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said last week that detectives had not ruled out more charges, ABC News reports.
The National Mental Health Commission said Thursday that some reporting on people living with psychosis since the incident had not met national guidelines. "People experiencing psychosis are not inherently violent," chief executive David McGrath said.
What we know: Haines's offices have reopened, and Nugent is charged over what police allege was a deliberate attack.
What we don't: What drove the alleged attack, and whether more charges will follow.
Where outlets agree ABC News and The Age report Nugent is charged over the attack, police allege the attack was deliberate and Haines is in serious but stable condition.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.