Nurse and mother Caroll Hopkinson, 58, faces court charged over the death of her husband Simon Hopkinson
A nurse charged over the death of her husband has fronted court for the first time, where new details of the alleged crime scene were revealed. Picture: 9News
Police & Courts
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A mental health nurse who allegedly murdered her husband before calling police to the scene has appeared in court for the first time, with police prosecutors revealing they now need time to get “blood splatter analysis” of the alleged crime scene.
Still wearing the pyjamas and pink dressing gown she was arrested in on Sunday morning – and bandages wrapped around her hands – Caroll Hopkinson was silent as her defence lawyer told the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court there would be no application for bail.
Ms Hopkinson, 58, has been charged over the death of her husband Simon Charles Hopkinson, 60, after police were called to the couple’s Taperoo home on Medina St just after 8.30am on Sunday.
In court on Monday afternoon, police prosecutors told the court they needed at least 20 weeks to go through evidence, including analysis of the alleged crime scene.
“We require around four months and four weeks, just to get some blood splatter analysis,” the prosecutor said.
The Advertiser applied for access to the police facts of charge through the court, but Magistrate Luke Davis said without a bail application, granting access to those documents would need further consideration.
Mr Davis did disclose there were limited details on the police information already filed with the court.
“There are no witness statements on that file,” he said.
Other documents released to the media however have revealed the reasons the police would have argued against Ms Hopkinson’s release on bail, including her inability to return to her home, which is now considered a crime scene.
“The Applicant is unable to return to her home address due to ongoing serious investigation occurring,” the document states.
During a press conference after Ms Hopkinson’s arrest on Sunday morning, police alleged it was her who called emergency services to the scene.
She was seen earlier in the day being escorted out of the home by police, still in her nightgown, who say she had bloodlike stained arms wrapped in paper bags.
The brief court appearance comes just a few hours after cleaners converged on the home on Monday morning as police also returned to the scene briefly – apparently to hand over keys.
Ms Hopkinson has been remanded in custody and will face court again in November, unless a bail application hearing is called on prior.
Outside court, her lawyer Leesah Randall declined to comment on the case.
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