CBD murder suspect Mert Ney was let go on weapon offences

The alleged murderer at the centre of yesterday’s Sydney CBD rampage broke out of an ambulance and disappeared from a facility just a week ago. Questions are now being asked about how the mental health system could allow a person like Mert Ney to walk the streets.

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Western Sydney’s mental health system is back under a spotlight after it emerged the man allegedly at the centre of Tuesday’s CBD bloodbath broke out of an ambulance and disappeared from a facility less than a week ago.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal details of what happened after Mert Ney, 21, arrived at the emergency department at Blacktown Hospital on August 7.

Yesterday’s attack came less than a month after a woman allegedly beheaded her mother near Penrith.

The attack came after she was released into the community following mental health treatment.

A women is taken from Hotel CBD after being stabbed in the back. Picture: AAP

Mert Ney is led away by police after being arrested by bystanders. Picture: Kartik Lad

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The Daily Telegraph understands Ney presented to the emergency department having suffered a drug overdose and was given an injection of a medication to bring him out of his severe mental state.

Ney is believed to have admitted to health workers he regularly used cannabis as well as making and taking his own recreational drugs.

It is believed he suffered depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Sources confirmed Ney, from Marayong, was discharged the same day.

Just after 6am the next day, it is understood Ney was with paramedics and put in an ambulance.

Hundreds of people gathered to see Mert Ney arrested. Picture: Marc Kean

He became aggressive, pushing through the ambulance doors and absconding.

NSW Health Department community mental health workers are believed to have attempted to make contact with Ney that day.

Ney eventually contacted health authorities himself, telling them he was okay.

The Daily Telegraph understands he was officially discharged at 4.49pm on August 8.

Neither Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Mental Health Minister Bronwyn Taylor or NSW Health responded to requests for comment last night.

Labor’s health spokesman Ryan Park slammed the government over the case.

“Clearly the system is failing, not only failing those under treatment and those in the community and it’s time we urgently had a look at the system,” he said. “We can’t keep having these incidents across the community.”

Yesterday, Seven News reported that the antidepressant drug Antenex was found at the scene where Ney was crash tackled outside a CBD cafe by heroic strangers.

Ney’s horrific alleged murder and assault yesterday came less than a month after 25-year-old Jessica Camilleri allegedly decapitated her 57-year-old mother Rita Camilleri, dropping her mother’s head on a neighbour’s front lawn at St Clair.

Superintendent Gavin Wood speaks to the media on the Clarence Street stabbing in Sydney yesterday. Picture: Brett Costello

The Daily Telegraph revealed Jessica had been released on section 32 mental health orders four times before she allegedly attacked her mother.

A friend of Rita Camilleri said she had her daughter discharged from Nepean Hospital last year.

“She told the case worker ‘I’ll take care of her’, and took her home in a red car,” the friend said.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller yesterday said officers were aware of Ney previously but that he had a more extensive connection to health authorities.

The Camilleri case highlighted a dramatic 18 per cent rise in charges being dismissed under section 32 of the mental health act over the past two years.

A NSW Health spokesman declined to comment.