Brisbane This article is more than 1 month oldPolice to drug test Brisbane woman accused of fatally stabbing her neighbour
This article is more than 1 month oldOfficers obtain court order to test Dorothy James Downie, 55, for drugs after she was charged with murder over Hamilton incident
Police have been granted an order to obtain blood samples as soon as possible from a woman charged with murder so they can be tested for the presence of drugs.
Dorothy James Downie, 55, is accused of fatally stabbing a woman known to her in the Brisbane suburb of Hamilton on Thursday.
She has been charged with murder and enter with intent.
Police responded to reports of a disturbance at an address on Oxford Street in Hamilton about 8.45am on Thursday where a woman in her 40s was stabbed several times including in the chest before dying of her injuries in hospital.
Downie was charged by police later on Thursday with her matter briefly heard in the Brisbane Arrests Court on Friday, where police sought an urgent forensic order to secure blood samples.
Police prosecutor Sgt Tara Williams said the urgency is in relation to whether there were prescription or non-prescription drugs in her blood at the time of the attack.
“My submission is if it’s not dealt with today there is a potential loss of evidence,” the court heard.
“Over time, the longer that it takes to deal with this application the levels are going to change, your honour, it’s going to result in incomplete information for the prosecution and for defence to consider.”
Daniel Hannay, representing Downie, said his client has a history of delusions of grandeur and psychosis, and still needs to be seen by a mental health nurse.
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The order was granted by magistrate Andrew Hackett.
Downie was remanded in custody with the matter adjourned until 14 February when she is not required to appear.
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