A grandmother allegedly stabbed her husband to death in a desperate act of self-defence after trying to stop him from taking his own life, a court has heard.
Caroll Hopkinson, 58, appeared in Adelaide The Magistrates Court, via video link from custody on Tuesday, charged the defendant with the murder of her husband Simon at their Taperoo home in Adelaide’s west on July 7.
The court heard Hopkinson, a mental health nurse, called emergency services after allegedly stabbing her husband during a knife fight.
His lawyer Jeff Powell told the court he woke up that morning to a strange noise coming from the bathroom.
Hopkinson allegedly found Simon, also a mental health nurse, trying to end his life. Adelaide Advertiser reported.
Panicking, she ran to get a knife to stop him, but an “aggressive” Simon turned on her, according to her lawyer.
“She understood his reaction to be ‘why are you stopping me from doing something I need to do?’ That’s how she interpreted his reaction,” Powell told the court.
‘He took the knife from her and attacked her. She had cuts on her hands from trying to defend herself. There was a struggle and then she took the knife back.’
Caroll Hopkinson, 58, is seen being escorted away by police officers after her husband was found dead at a home in Adelaide’s west.
Simon then lunged at his wife, who allegedly stabbed him out of fear for her life.
“It all happened in a matter of seconds, in a state of panic, in the early hours of the morning and there was no premeditation or planning. She had no idea what was happening in her home when she woke up,” Powell told the court.
The court heard she immediately called her daughter and then the police, who arrived about 20 minutes later and found her in the “unfortunate position” of having ended her husband’s life in an act of self-defence.
Police allege Hopkinson had blood stains on her nightgown when they arrived.
Neighbours expressed shock at hearing of the death, telling The Advertiser the couple seemed like “normal, happy people”.
Neighbours expressed shock at the horrific news and said the couple seemed like “normal, happy people”.
The court heard Caroll Hopkinson killed her husband Simon (pictured) in self-defence.
Mr Powell asked the court to release Hopkinson on bail, saying the “unusual” features of the case meant she was not a danger to the community.
However, prosecutors argued that the seriousness of the charge should keep the defendant in custody.
Senior Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal ordered a home detention report and will make a bail decision next month.
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