Vic: Elderly woman stabbed hostel resident in eyes, jury told

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2000
Vic: Elderly woman stabbed hostel resident in eyes, jury told

By Catherine Chisholm

MELBOURNE, Aug 21 AAP - An 80-year-old woman allegedly stabbed a fellow nursing home
resident around the head and neck 49 times, a jury was told today.

Che Kien, now 82, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 84-year-old Lai Fun in Melbourne
on February 4 last year.

Both women were residents of the Victorian Elderly Chinese Hostel at Ascot Vale.

Paul Coghlan, QC, prosecuting, told the Supreme Court jury that Kien had buzzed for
a room attendant to help her go to dinner around 5.30pm on the day of the attack.

The attendant noticed blood on her cheek, an abrasion and a cut on her hand, Mr Coghlan said.

He said that after dinner Kien had left the hostel and walked three blocks until she
was stopped by a staff member.

Kien allegedly told the worker, who convinced her to return to the hostel: "I have
killed someone and it's real."

She also allegedly said: "I have killed the woman in room eight."

When they returned to the hostel the female victim's body was found on the floor in her room.

Police found she had suffered stab wounds to the head, neck and specifically around
the eyes and discovered a knife in a drain in the courtyard.

Mr Coghlan said Kien had a psychiatric history which dated back to 1995 and while it
appeared she had recovered, there were signs of mental illness the week before the killing.

Kien had taken some Chinese medicine arthritis oil in an attempt to take her own life
and spent three days in hospital, Mr Coghlan said.

Mr Coghlan told the jury that Kien had said to her doctor she thought people were trying
to force her to leave the hostel and she was upset because she had lived there for five
years.

Wayne Toohey, defending, said that while Kien had killed another person she was not
guilty of the crime of murder.

An important aspect of the case was Kien's mental impairment, he said.

He said Kien's psychiatric background at the time of, and continuing after the event
were significant.

The trial before Justice Philip Cummins continues tomorrow.

AAP cmc/imc/hu/de e

KEYWORD: KIEN NIGHTLEAD

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