The husband of Helen Haines has confirmed the independent MP’s second leg had been amputated due to her injuries sustained from Monday’s attack, as her alleged attacker faced court on Wednesday.
What we know:
- Phil Haines said his wife’s recovery would be “long and difficult” but “she is a fighter” after the MP was struck by a car outside her Wangaratta electorate office. She remains in a critical but stable condition (ABC).
- Haines’s alleged attacker, Brendan Nugent, faced a Wangaratta courtroom, with his lawyer telling the magistrate his client had a “neurological disorder and he’s been suffering from concussion” (ABC).
- Nugent did not request bail and will remain in custody until a committal mention on February 4 next year (The Guardian).
- He faces charges of dangerous driving causing injury, intentionally causing injury, and a Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official (Post).
- The charge sheet provided to the court on Wednesday also showed two additional offences of cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis. Victoria Police said further charges could be laid (AFR).
- Security agencies will review safety precautions for MPs’ homes and offices after numerous federal politicians told police and Asio in safety briefings that they were worried about widening threats following the Haines attack (The Guardian).