Australian MP Helen Haines loses both legs after alleged vehicle attack
publishers 20articles 21first reported 20 Oct, 15:15 UTCdeveloping since 20 Oct · 9 editions
Australian independent MP Helen Haines has had both legs amputated after she was struck by a vehicle outside her electoral office in Wangaratta, northeast of Melbourne, her husband said Wednesday.
Phil Haines said doctors initially amputated her left leg and later determined that her right leg could not be saved. He said she was alive and stable, but faced a long and difficult recovery. Authorities allege she was struck twice on Monday in a deliberate attack. Members of the public restrained the driver before police arrested him.
Brendan Nugent, 43, appeared in court Wednesday on charges of dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official. Court filings also show charges of cultivating and possessing cannabis. He did not apply for bail and is scheduled to return to court in February. The BBC reported that police said additional charges, including attempted murder, could follow.
Nugent’s lawyer told the court that he had mental health concerns, was recovering from a concussion and has idiopathic transverse myelitis, a rare neurological condition.
Victoria Police, assisted by the Australian Federal Police, are investigating the motive. Police described the incident as targeted and deliberate but said they had found no direct prior contact between Nugent and Haines. Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said authorities had received no intelligence indicating a threat to the MP before the attack.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 18 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 20
- Source articles
- 21
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 6
- This version written
- 18 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →