A man has been charged with several offences after allegedly assaulting three women at a Sydney hospital.
Content warning: graphic details
An 80-year-old woman remains in a critical condition at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital. She was one of the three women who were assaulted at 3am on Thursday.
The other women, aged 58 and 63, have been discharged from the Sydney hospital, according to reports.
Police had been called to the scene in the early hours of Thursday morning responding to a call that a patient of the hospital had been assaulted.
According to police, the 27-year-old man, who was also a patient at the Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital, grabbed the 58-year-old woman and the 63-year-old woman, before allegedly assaulting them.
Later, the man allegedly confronted an 80-year-old woman and punched her. He then reportedly choked her and hit her head against the wall.
The woman became unconscious as a result of the assault. She remains in a critical condition in hospital.
No one else at the scene, including staff who intervened in the incident, was injured. The man alleged to have assaulted the three women was arrested by police once he was medically cleared.
According to reports, the three women are believed to be known to one another as family members.
No further details have been released over the incident, as the man, who was refused bail, prepares to face his charges at Parramatta Local Court on Friday.
He faces four charges: cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent, choke person intend to commit indictable offence, intentionally choke person with recklessness and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The maximum penalty for causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent in NSW is 25 years in prison.
A spokesperson for the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital told media outlets that assistance for staff, witnesses and the family of the assault victims is available.
Male violence is an epidemic in Australia, which took the lives of 63 women in 2023.
Many male perpetrators are known to the victims, however some can be “random attacks”, including the alleged murder of Julie “Julez” Seed at the end of December.
The 38-year-old was stabbed in Adelaide’s south-west, while a second woman aged 50 was taken to hospital for her injuries. A 30-year-old man was arrested and is expected to be charged with murder.
One woman is killed by an intimate partner every week, while Indigenous women are eight times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be murdered.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via 1800RESPECT.org.au or text 0458 737 732.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au.
Feeling worried or no good? No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn. Speak to a 13YARN Crisis Supporter, call 13 92 76. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In an emergency, call 000.