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Thursday, February 26, 2009 KEEPING THE SOUTH EAST INFORMED SINCE 1861 $1.00 inc. GST

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FEATURE
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Your home & garden autumn edition

INSIDE TODAY: YEARLY RAINFALL RECORDS FROM 1942 TO 2008 > PAGES 16 & 17 BW491042

Hospital – not jail

A magistrate says a defendant with mental health issues should be in

a letter to police he was “awful scared

BY ELLIE TURNER
Email: ellie@tbw.com.au
THE state’s mental health system
was criticised in the Mount Gambier
Magistrates Court this week.
A defence lawyer claimed his client
was prematurely released from psychi-
atric care, which led to her threatening
her ex-husband with a knife.
The woman was refused bail and was
remanded in custody under the Mental
Health Act.
The court heard she has a history of
paranoid schizophrenia and was recently
released from Glenside Hospital, where
she has since been readmitted.
Appearing for the prosecution, Brevet
Sergeant Caroline Batten said the
defendant had visited her ex-husband
on Sunday out of a strong desire to see
more of their two children, of whom he
has custody.
After leaving the property she was
seen crouching behind one of the victim’s
car tyres with a knife. She appeared to
have slashed a tyre, causing an esti-
mated $100 damage.
“The victim said he ran outside and
grabbed her hands trying to pull the
knife away,” Bvt Sgt Batten said.
“A struggle ensued and he said he
could feel her trying to push the knife
toward his body.
“The victim was fearful for his own
safety and yelled to the children to call
the police.”
The man applied for a restraining
order against the defendant, saying in
of what she would be willing to do to
us”.
The woman was arrested and conveyed
to the Mount Gambier Hospital.
Defence counsel Brett Cranswick said
his client admitted the facts.
“My client has been seeing her chil-
dren once a fortnight on the weekend
and has wanted to extend this,” he
said.
“The reason she approached the
victim was to talk about it, however
he refused to be flexible outside the
court order.
“My client was distraught at being
denied the extension and grabbed the
knife.”
Mr Cranswick said the defendant’s pMount Gambier Magistrates Court heard a defendant’s release from Glenside was premature and
release from Glenside was premature was an administrative decision of the hospital.
and was an administrative decision of
the hospital.
He said his client had not applied for
a discharge and her psychiatric report
More Glenside beds needed
would be given to the Mount Gambier year recommended an increase of beds when the
Police Station.
BY ANELIA BLACKIE redevelopment of the hospital was discussed
Email: anelia@tbw.com.au
In adjourning the application for bail, in parliament, but the recommendation was
Magistrate Bill Morris said the woman SHADOW Health Minister Vickie Chapman has ignored.
should be in hospital, not a jail. warned that more people in country areas are “Glenside is the only South Australian mental
When court resumed the woman going to end up in jail or dead if they do not get hospital to serve patients outside Adelaide. The
refused to appear. the mental health treatment they need at the committee recommended they increase beds from
“This woman needs a proper diagnosis Glenside Hospital in Adelaide. 23 to 46 as the number of beds for rural and
and medication before I can deal with Ms Chapman was responding to news a Mount remote consumers are grossly inadequate,” Ms
her,” Mr Morris said. Gambier woman with mental health problems Chapman said.
“If she comes back before me diag- appeared in court after allegedly attacking her “But instead they accommodate the Film
nosed and medicated with medical former husband with a knife. Corporation by building a sound studio.
support we can start to focus on the It was revealed in court the woman had “This woman’s appearance in court is an
charges.” been prematurely discharged from Glenside example of exactly why we need more beds in
Mr Morris thanked the woman’s Hospital. Glenside.”
family for attending court to support Ms Chapman described the incident as tragic, Nurses at the Glenside Hospital yesterday
her and asked them to come back when but only the tip of the iceberg. walked off the job in protest against its proposed
she reappears on April 21. She said the select committee of Glenside last redevelopment.

WEATHER Mount Gambier Today - Dry. Mostly Sunny. 33o – report page 29 TV GUIDE Page 12 COMICS Page 20 CLASSIFIEDS Pages 21-23

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