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Kym Bicknell in court after he allegedly assaulted four people outside Modbury Hospital

A 90-year-old man is in intensive care after being punched in the head during the assault of four people at Modbury Hospital, a court has heard.

Parents of man accused over Modbury Hospital assault outside court

An elderly man is in intensive care after being allegedly punched in the head at an Adelaide hospital by a patient being treated for a skin infection.

Kym Bicknell, 36, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday via video link from custody after he was arrested on Monday afternoon over the alleged assault of four people at Modbury Hospital.

A duty solicitor for Mr Bicknell applied for bail on her client’s behalf saying he has a limited history.

Police were called to the hospital just before 5.30pm on Monday after reports a man assaulted two men in the car park and stole their wallets.

The man then stole a woman’s handbag before walking off.

A hospital security guard confronted the man as he was leaving and was also allegedly assaulted.

The Ridgehaven man was charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of assault causing harm, theft and assault.

A prosecutor opposed bail due to the seriousness of the offending – with the court hearing one of his victims, a 90-year-old man, was being treated in intensive care for his injuries.

The prosecutor said Mr Bicknell assaulted the 90-year-old man, a 62-year-old man, nurse and security guard after stealing the younger man’s wallet.

Modbury Hospital. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dean Martin
Modbury Hospital. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dean Martin

“I didn’t take his wallet, he gave it to me. I asked him for $2,” Mr Bicknell said.

The prosecutor said CCTV vision captured the vicious assaults.

“(It) shows the defendant follow victim one (the 90-year-old) and victim two (the 62-year-old) out of the waiting room,” he said.

“The accused then appears to snatch the wallet from victim two, before walking down the ramp.

“Victim two and victim one walk after the accused, the accused turns around and confronts victim one, punched him to the head, causing him to fall to the ground.

“The accused then confronts victim two, punches him to the face, causing him to immediately lose consciousness, fall backwards towards the ramp rail before falling sideways to the ground.”

The prosecutor said Mr Bicknell then stole the nurse’s handbag when she went to help.

Magistrate Lynette Duncan said the man had previously been before the courts for assaults and was on a good behaviour bond at the time of the offending.

The duty solicitor said Mr Bicknell was worried about the treatment of his skin infection while in court.

Ms Duncan ordered a bail inquiry report and home detention report to assess Mr Bicknell’s suitability to bail.

Mr Bicknell will next appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court next Tuesday.

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/90yearold-man-one-of-three-assaulted-in-modbury-hospital-carpark-robbery/news-story/e290d9e7eddcf60126391ef6468a009d