Alleged stabbing charges upgraded to attempted murder

An Ipswich court has heard a man accused of attempted murder will require a Spanish interpreter

ELDERLY Ipswich man Jose Garcia is accused of attempting to murder his female neighbour after an earlier charge was upgraded.

He is accused of stabbing the young woman in a late-night incident at Redbank Plains in March this year.

A call-over in Ipswich Magistrates Court of serious cases being prosecuted by the Crown revealed a charge of doing acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm had been replaced by a charge of attempted murder.

Jose Garcia, now aged 72 and from Bellbird Park, is charged with attempt to murder of a 29-year-old woman in a unit complex on Redbank Plains Rd on Saturday March 7; and two counts of common assault.

Police prosecution had already flagged the likelihood that the charge would be upgraded when the case was mentioned earlier this year.

Legal Aid lawyer Alexis Oxley said Garcia remained in custody, and his legal representatives had received the majority of the Crown prosecution brief detailing the charges against him.

“There is a need to now take him through this material with an interpreter (Spanish speaking),” Ms Oxley said.

She said there had been technological issues preventing the Legal Aid office from engaging with him.

Garcia was not required to appear in court and Ms Oxley sought an adjournment to December.

Magistrate Dennis Kinsella adjourned the case to December 9.

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