A man charged with stabbing a nurse at Royal Perth Hospital on Sunday had been arrested by police hours earlier on an unrelated warrant. A police spokesman said the 30-year-old was already on his way to the hospital when police arrested him. Due to the serious nature of his medical condition, he was released into the hospital’s care and arrangements were made to apprehend him again once he had received treatment. In the meantime, it is alleged he used a makeshift weapon to stab a 55-year-old female nurse in the neck when she had her back turned about 1:30am on Sunday. The nurse was treated in the hospital and has since been discharged. The 30-year-old Gnowangerup man was taken back into police custody and charged with the aggravated assault of a public officer and weapons offences. He is due to face Perth Magistrates Court later this month on those charges, and separate charges of aggravated assault and stealing a car. The Australian Medical Association of WA yesterday condemned the alleged incident and called for more security staff in the state’s hospitals.
