Bellevue Hill mother Samantha Palmer granted bail after allegedly stabbing son Hugo Ball

A Sydney mother who allegedly stabbed her son several times in her eastern suburbs mansion made an eye-watering offer to be released on bail.

A mother from Sydney’s eastern suburbs who police allege drunkenly stabbed her son in an “unprovoked attack” will spend Christmas at home after offering up her multimillion-dollar house to be released from jail.

After a month in custody Samantha Palmer was granted bail at Central Local Court on Thursday after she put the full equity of her $3.1 million Bellevue Hill property on the table to secure bail.

Magistrate Philip Stewart ultimately accepted a surety of $200,000 from Ms Palmer and husband James Tilley to ensure she does not breach her strict release conditions including not to drink alcohol or contact her alleged victim and son Hugo Ball.

Samantha Palmer being loaded into a paddy wagon outside her Drumalbyn Rd home last month. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Ms Palmer, 55, was arrested at her sprawling mansion on November 21 after allegedly stabbing 22-year-old Mr Ball several times to his back and shoulders with a 12-inch blade.

Mr Ball arrived at the home he was living in with his mother, sister and Mr Tilley at about 1.40am before he was allegedly stabbed repeatedly by Ms Palmer, who the court heard had been drinking.

He was left in a serious condition and rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital for emergency surgery.

The court heard on Thursday Mr Ball lost two litres of blood at the scene on Drumalbyn Road, but he has still not provided an official statement to police.

Ms Palmer was charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (DV).

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in jail if proven.

Samantha Palmer was granted bail on Thursday.

Ms Palmer appeared before the court on screen from Silverwater jail for her bail application after spending almost four weeks in custody.

Police prosecutor Kerry-Ann McKinnon opposed bail saying Ms Palmer’s release to live back at home ran the risk of “collusion” with her husband and daughter, who could be called as witnesses at a possible future trial.

She said Mr Ball has still not provided a statement to police about the alleged attack and prosecutors were relying on a “version taken from him at the scene”.

A court previously heard Ms Palmer claimed the attack was made in self defence after her son allegedly told her he had just “committed murder”.

Ms McKinnon said on Thursday the mother’s claims of self defence were inconsistent with the location of her son’s stab wounds, adding there was no doubt who inflicted the wounds.

“We say that no court could entertain an argument of self defence considering almost all of the stab wounds are to the back of the complainant’s body,” she said.

“We say the applicant today will be found guilty … and there will be no alternative other than a custodial sentence.”

Hugo Ball (left) was allegedly stabbed by his mother.

He is now living with his father.

Ms Palmer’s lawyer Justin Wong argued there was no risk of his client contaminating the evidence of her husband and daughter as they had already given sworn statements to police.

The court heard both were home at the time of the incident but the only people who witnessed the alleged stabbing were Ms Palmer and Mr Ball.

Mr Wong told the court that the value of Ms Palmer’s home was “all on offer” to secure her release on bail and that she maintained her claims of self defence.

He said even on the police case the incident was “isolated and totally inconsistent” with her usual character as someone with close community ties and spends her time caring for the elderly and frail.

He said police were currently relying on an “inadmissable” version of the incident given to police by Mr Ball at the scene, but Mr Stewart disagreed and stated there was a strong prosecution case.

The magistrate ordered Ms Palmer and Mr Tilley both agree to forfeit sums of $100,000 each should she breach bail conditions.

Under her conditions she must not leave her home between 9pm and 7am, surrender her passports and report daily to Waverley police station.

The matter will return to court on January 21, 2021.

Originally published as Bellevue Hill mother Samantha Palmer granted bail after allegedly stabbing son Hugo Ball