Box Hill man Amrick Roy in court after Penelope Katsavos, 78, allegedly bashed opening church

A man who is accused of bashing an elderly woman on the steps outside of a Melbourne church requested he be seen by a nurse, a court has heard.

A man who is accused of bashing an elderly grandmother on the steps of a Melbourne church wants a nurse to check his injuries, a court has been told.

Amrick Roy appeared via videolink in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday dressed in a blue t-shirt and wearing a blue, disposable face mask.

He is facing six charges including intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury, robbery and theft.

Police released CCTV images of a man who they believe could help with the alleged assault of an elderly woman outside a church. Photo: Supplied

Police allege the 26-year-old Box Hill man assaulted Penelope Katsavos while she was opening the St Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in South Yarra on Saturday morning.

Defence lawyer Ellen Murphy said it was the first time Mr Roy had been in custody and he also had a “laceration” on his head.

She asked for a nurse to look at the injury.

Mr Roy is also charged with intentionally cause injury and recklessly cause injury in relation to an incident on the same Saturday at Prahran, a suburb that borders South Yarra.

These charges relate to a second victim, Magistrate Phillip Goldberg told the court on Friday.

Penelope Katsavos after the incident.

Ms Katsavos recovering in hospital.

The 78-year-old was allegedly punched in the face, pushed to the ground and kicked. She was found alone on the ground at Barry Street for 30 minutes before a worker who was cleaning the street found her.

Horrifying pictures of Ms Katsavos sitting on the church steps with a bloodied and bruised face after the incident shocked parishioners and the wider Melbourne community.

Mr Roy allegedly assaulted her before stealing her shopping trolley containing about 6.15am.

His arrest came after police released CCTV of a man they wished to speak to over the incident.

Ms Katsavos, of South Yarra, was taken to hospital with a broken wrist, a fractured hip, a severely bruised face and a bleed to the brain.

She was released from hospital on Thursday.

Penelope Katsavos and her husband Thomas.

Senior Constable Peker alleged a man “viciously assaulted” Ms Katsavos and pushed her to the ground before stealing her shopping trolley containing personal items.

He said police found the trolley about 400m away from the church in Garden Street near the Jam Factory cinema, with her personal items, such as handbag, phone and cash, untouched.

“The victim has been punched to the right side of the face and she has also been pushed down a couple of steps,” Senior Constable Peker alleged.

“It was a callous, violent and horrendous attack on an individual just going about her business.”

Parishioners said Ms Katsavos had been opening the South Yarra church “every morning for the past 30 years” and it was the first time that something like this had ever happened.

Mr Roy will next face court in June.

[e-mail]