A 10-year-old boy allegedly attacked by a complete stranger in Melbourne’s CBD before his mother was stabbed seven times with a pair of scissors defending him was in the Victorian capital for brain cancer treatment.
Speaking exclusively to 9News, the uncle of the child said he had travelled from Phillip Island with his mother and other siblings for treatment – including an MRI scan.
The family had just arrived in Melbourne and were going to their hotel, before the alleged attack unfolded in broad daylight.
“(I’m) just absolutely disgusted,” the child’s uncle told the broadcaster.
“She can’t be with her son, it’s traumatic enough fighting cancer.
“They’re now looking to see if it’s caused any extra damage, if there’s any more inflammation around where the tumour is.”
The new detail emerged after Jerry Sowood, 27, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on violence charges on Wednesday afternoon a day after the alleged incident outside the Victoria Police headquarters in the city’s CBD.
He has been charged with affray, intentionally cause injury and unlawful assault, conduct endanger life and conduct endanger serious injury.
After a lawyer told magistrate Vincenzo Caltabiano he had not received instructions from Mr Sowood, the accused man started speaking directly to the court.
“Mr Sowood, there is someone here, a lawyer here who is willing to help,” Mr Caltabiano said.
“No, thank you,” he responded.
Mr Sowood declined to apply for bail and said he did not want to speak to a custody nurse because he was “religious”.
Asked by the magistrate if he was on any medication or had any diagnosis, he responded: “I was in mental state of mind, what I do”.
“I took a scissors and I stabbed a woman, I was in a mental state of mind,” he said.
“There was three people, they kicked and punched me in the head.
“At least they’re both still breathing so I keep my humanity, they might be a bit traumatised.”
His microphone was muted after Mr Caltabiano expressed concern there was “no need” to comment on the allegations at this stage.
Mr Sowood was remanded into custody to return to court in November.
Victoria Police said the 27-year-old man arrested in the Melbourne CBD about 1pm Tuesday after allegedly assaulting a 10-year-old boy before placing the boy’s mother, 46, in a headlock when she stepped in to help the child.
According to charge sheets, it’s alleged Mr Sorwood stabbed the woman seven times with scissors that may have placed her life at risk.
Superintendent Zorka Dunstan said the man allegedly “randomly” attacked the child by punching him in the stomach.
A member of the public then alleged jumped in to try to assist the mother and son, police said.
Footage obtained by 9News showed bystanders tackling a man, pinning him to the ground as they tried to flag down emergency services.
“A citizen immediately intervened and jumped onto the 27-year-old male, he’s grabbed him off the female and … we had two other citizens also come and assist pinning him down,” Superintendent Dunstan alleged on Tuesday.
“It’s heroic, without a doubt, without their intervention it could’ve been a lot worse, so we’re so grateful for their assistance and I’m sure the family are as well.”
The mum was taken to hospital along with the boy to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers quickly arrested the man, who is allegedly known to police in Victoria, NSW and Western Australia.
The superintendent said fortunately the other two children were not injured but were distressed after witnessing the alleged attack.
“I gave (one of the boys) a hug because you know I was impacted just by watching how he reacted,” she said.
“I’m just grateful that we had people assist immediately, there’s no doubt that if they didn’t assist it would have been a lot more serious.”
A pair of scissors was allegedly seized by police.
Police believe he was not known to the woman and boy.
The incident unfolded just down the road from the Spencer St Police Station.
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