Carol Hartlett claims police ignored her concerns hours before alleged knife attack at Glenelg real estate agency

The mother of an AFL star claims police dismissed a terrifying warning hours before a mentally ill woman allegedly menaced staff at her real estate agency with a knife.

Carol Hartlett claims she received a threatening phone call hours before a mentally ill woman allegedly threatened five staff with a knife. Picture: Matt Loxton

The director of a Glenelg real estate agency claims she received a threatening phone call hours before a mentally ill woman allegedly threatened five staff with a knife – but police dismissed her concerns.

Carol Hartlett, director of Century 21 The Bay, said the call was one of multiple warning signs that went ignored before Lisa Bowes allegedly burst into the Byron St office on the afternoon of Monday April 22.

Ms Bowes, 47, had been released from the Margaret Tobin mental health facility earlier that day.

Ms Hartlett, the mother of former Port Adelaide star Hamish Hartlett, called for better communication between police and mental health services.

Agency staff called police on Wednesday April 17, five days prior to the incident, after Ms Bowes was allegedly found at the back door of the property holding a knife.

Police and paramedics attended and Ms Bowes spent the following days receiving treatment for a psychotic episode.

Ms Hartlett claims that when she reported the threatening phone call she was told by an officer that “they’re just idle threats” and “people often don’t go through with this”. Picture: Matt Loxton

At 8.20am on the Monday of the incident, Ms Hartlett claims she received a call from a woman who said she was going to come to the property with a knife.

“Immediately I thought about the lady with the knife out the back – (now someone) is threatening with a knife, this is a worry,” she said.

She visited the Glenelg police station a short time later to ensure that the first incident had been recorded and to make a report about the phone call.

However, she said an officer at the station told her “they’re just idle threats” and “people often don’t go through with this”.

“It was a very casual approach to my concerns,” she said.

“When I walked out I thought ‘(the officer) could not have cared any less if she tried’.”

Ms Hartlett, property manager Dee Wood and three other staff were in the office when Ms Bowes allegedly entered with a knife at 3.15pm that afternoon.

Ms Wood said staff locked themselves in an office as Ms Bowes allegedly banged on the door.

“I was shaking … I was just petrified something was going to happen,” she said.

Ms Bowes was tasered, arrested and charged with assault and possession of a knife in a public place.

Her family last week said they told doctors she was not well enough to be discharged – then on the morning of the attack emailed the state’s chief psychiatrist to warn she intended to return to Glenelg with a knife.

Ms Hartlett said the incident was preventable.

“There were so many warning signs. With these random stabbings like Bondi, there’s no warning signs,” she said.

“But we had multiple warning signs and they were absolutely ignored.”

Ms Bowes told a court hearing last Tuesday she had suffered traumatic experiences at the Byron St property, which had occurred prior to the occupancy of Century 21.

She has been remanded in custody ahead of another appearance next month.

SA Health said an independent review into the incident will investigate the communication between agencies involved.

All appropriate parties, including staff at Century 21, will have the opportunity to contribute.

SAPOL declined to comment because the matter is before the courts.