Friday 12 August 2022 03:13 AM Loner accused of stabbing death of young woman in Roxburgh Park, Melbourne, ... trends now
The man accused of the alleged murder of a young woman in her own bed refuses to take his psyche meds amid claims prison staff are trying to kill him.
Luay Nader Sako, 36, of Roxburgh Park, last year pleaded not guilty to the stabbing murder of Celeste Manno in anticipation of securing an assessment from a forensic psychiatrist that supported an assertion he was not capable of committing the crime due to his poor mental health.
On Friday, the Supreme Court of Victoria heard Sako insisted on remaining locked away from other inmates in an isolation unit where he refused to take medications at least one expert believes would help him stand trial for murder.
Celeste Manno, 23, was allegedly murdered in her Melbourne home in November 2020
Luay Sako, 35, attended a local police station hours after Ms Manno's death and was taken to hospital under police guard, and was charged with murder
Celeste Manno had been in the prime of life when she was stabbed to death in her own bed
In May, the court heard two forensic psychiatrists who assessed Sako were at loggerheads about whether he was fit to stand trial.
The decision will now be decided by a jury trial that will span three days in November.
The court heard while Dr Andrew Carroll - on behalf of Sako - argued the alleged killer was too mentally unwell to properly direct his lawyers, Dr Clare McInerney - for the prosecution - believes that prognosis could be cured.
On Friday, Crown prosecutor Patrick Bourke asked Sako be assessed yet again - this time by forensic psychologist Professor James Ogloff.
The court heard prosecutors believed it was in the 'interest of justice' to assess whether Sako's condition had more to do with his behaviour rather than any actual mental illness.
Sako's barrister Sam Norton, of Stary Norton Halphen, opposed the application and accused the Crown of attempting to 'second guess' its own expert.
'We say there is no basis to do so,' he said.
But Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth ordered the assessment be done with
