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Court Refuses Bail for Woman Accused in Melbourne CBD Stabbing

The decision follows police submissions that she posed an unacceptable risk to the public given the alleged unprovoked, CCTV-captured attack.

Overview

  • Deputy Chief Magistrate Timothy Bourke rejected Lauren Darul’s bail application on Wednesday, keeping her in custody over the October 2 stabbing of Wan Lai.
  • Prosecutors cited strong evidence including CCTV and body‑worn camera footage, shelter staff identification, matching clothing and a recovered kitchen knife after an arrest about 90 minutes later.
  • Darul, 32, is charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury and committing an indictable offence while on bail, with court documents indicating roughly 60 charges across 21 matters.
  • Police told the court she had 19 outstanding matters at the time of the alleged attack and argued no set of conditions would adequately reduce community risk.
  • Wan Lai suffered a punctured lung, opposes Darul’s release, and has since relocated, while defence proposals for inpatient treatment and housing were undercut by a warning that her provider would evict her if she were bailed.