Lauren Darul, accused of randomly stabbing sushi chef in CBD, granted bail to stay in hospital

Darul had previously been denied bail over the stabbing incident.

Darul was arrested in October for allegedly ambushing 36-year-old sushi chef Wan Lai on his way to work on Little Bourke Street at around 7.40am and stabbing him in the chest.

CCTV footage allegedly shows Darul running from the scene and Lai falling to the ground clutching his chest, while shocked witnesses, paramedics and police rushed to his aid.

Darul was charged with recklessly causing injury and intentionally causing injury during the assault.

This week defense barrister Julian McMahon, SC, urged the judge to grant bail to his client, saying Darul would complete mental health treatment before returning to live at the supportive housing service Make Room in Little Bourke Street.

Mary Paterson, case manager for the Women’s Legal and Advocacy Center, said Darul was given an eviction notice from there because he endangered the safety of others, but they have plans to fight it.

Paterson said Darul had decided to address his drug and alcohol problems since his arrest and was looking forward to attending Thomas Embling.

Before the stabbing in October, Paterson said he and other caseworkers were aware Darul’s health was deteriorating with more delusions than usual, but no meetings were held due to the “facts of life” and workers being furloughed.

A psychiatrist told the court Darul would need about 18 weeks in the facility to monitor the use of the new treatment and could receive treatment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s mental health service if necessary.

Although the prosecution’s case was strong, the stabbing appeared to be linked to mental health issues, McMahon said. He said he was concerned his client could fall through the cracks without significant outside support.

Opposing bail, Crown Prosecutor Richard Pirrie said Darul had previously been issued an arrest warrant 16 times for failing to appear in court on bail, nine times for failing to appear in court on bail, and was on bail at the time of the alleged stabbing.

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If convicted, Darul could face five to seven years in prison, he said.

“We say this is a huge prosecution case and it is all captured on CCTV footage,” he said.

“While all the support offered is commendable, it was all provided while Darul was in custody. This is the reality of the situation.”

Darul had used significant amounts of ice before his arrest and had a history of not taking prescribed medications for schizophrenia, Pirrie said.

“It paints a very unhappy picture,” he said.

Pirrie said the seriousness of the alleged crime had increased and that it had not been incited against random members of the public who were in the “wrong place at the wrong time”.

The court heard Darul was accused of carrying an imitation firearm in the CBD on January 29, spitting in the face of a person walking around the city with his family, assaulting others, and was disarmed after carrying a kitchen knife into a grocery store on August 21.

“Surprisingly, he demanded that the knife be returned,” Pirrie said.

All of this, including the stabbing in October, occurred while Darul was living in the Make Room, where the accused had initially sought bail.

Darul is expected to return to court on January 20.

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