A mother accused of stabbing her private school graduate son has scored a minor legal victory at her first court appearance since making bail.
Samantha Palmer allegedly attacked her son, Hugo Ball, 22, with a 12-inch knife at the family’s $3.1million mansion in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill at 1.30am on November 21.
Ball had just arrived home at the family’s sprawling Drumalbyn Road home about 1.30am on Saturday, November 21, and she was angry he allegedly broke curfew.
Palmer, 55, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday charged with domestic violence wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Samantha Palmer allegedly attacked her son, Hugo Ball, 22, with a 12-inch knife at the family’s $3.1million mansion in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill at 1.30am on November 21
Ball (pictured) had just arrived home at the family’s sprawling Drumalbyn Road home about 1.30am on Saturday, November 21, and she was angry he allegedly broke curfew
Police prosecutor Malek Alzaim successfully sought a two-week adjournment while detectives completed their brief of evidence.
The privileged mother gained a win of her own as she will not have to show up in person to her next court date.
Mr Alzaim reiterated to the court that police believe they have an ironclad case against her and her claim of self defence is inconsistent with the facts.
Palmer emerged from court wearing a blue and white striped collared dress with a mask and sunglasses hiding much of her face. She is yet to enter a plea.
She was released on bail last month after week behind bars when she offered up her multi-million dollar home in Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs as security.
Police prosecutor Kerry-Ann McKinnon at the bail hearing on December 17 outlined why Palmer’s alleged attack had to be deliberate.
‘We say that no court could entertain an argument of self defence considering almost all of the stab wounds are to the back of the complainant’s body,’ she said at the time.
Palmer, 55, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday charged with domestic violence wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. She is pictured with her lawyer
Palmer emerged from court wearing a blue and white striped collared dress with a mask and sunglasses hiding much of her face
She told the court Palmer allegedly attacked Mr Ball after he returned to the family’s sprawling Drumalbyn Road home at about 1.30am on November 21.
Sergeant McKinnon said there was a ‘strong prosecution case’ against Palmer, who allegedly stabbed Ball from behind to his back, shoulders and rear of his neck.
He lost two litres of blood, the court was told, but survived – and the case has been the talk of the affluent area since.
‘We say this is an unprovoked attack on her own son,’ Sergeant McKinnon told the court, adding that alcohol was a factor in the alleged attack.
Palmer was released on bail last month after week behind bars when she offered up her multi-million dollar home in Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs as security
Palmer walked from the correctional facility in what appeared to be green and white inmate clothes, where she was picked up by an elderly man
Palmer allegedly attacked Mr Ball after he returned to the family’s sprawling Drumalbyn Road home at about 1.30am on November 21
But Ms Palmer’s lawyer Justin Wong said the case against Palmer was ‘not strong.’
Ball has refused to give NSW Police a formal statement about the events of that night.
Detectives had taken down a version of events in a police notebook, but it could be inadmissible at trial, Mr Wong told the court.
Ball’s sister and step-father were present at the the home at the time of the alleged attack and have given statements to police.
However the court was told they were not direct eye-witnesses to the incident, the court heard.
Mr Wong offered the court $200,000 in security from Palmer and her husband, James Tilley.
Those funds would be forfeited if she did not show at court. ‘It’s all on offer,’ Mr Wong told the court.
Last Christmas: Palmer with her son, Ball, and his father in 2019. Under the terms of her bail conditions she is banned from approaching her son – the alleged victim
Palmer upon her arrest last month after she allegedly stabbed her son about 1.40am on Saturday, November 21, in the affluent Sydney suburb of Bellevue Hill
Mr Wong noted that Ms Palmer had no criminal record whatsoever prior to the alleged attack, had strong community ties and had lived at their home for eight years.
A previous, aborted, bail application heard claims from Palmer’s lawyer that Ball had returned home speaking ‘incoherently’ and had made a remark about being involved in a murder.
Magistrate Philip Stewart granted Palmer bail on strict conditions including that she be banned from drinking alcohol while at liberty, abide by a 9pm curfew and report to police daily.
Palmer was bailed to the same home where the attack allegedly occurred, however she is banned from approaching her son whatsoever.
Ball was living with his father, the former chief executive Ian Ball, at his $5.5 million Paddington terrace, but was kicked out of there after destroying the front shutters.
His lawyer Alicia Catron last week entered a guilty plea for Hugo to the charge of destroy or damage property with a value of less than $2,000.
Ball was living with his father, the former chief executive Ian Ball, at his $5.5 million Paddington terrace, but was kicked out of there after destroying the front shutters
$200,000 in equity from Palmer’s $3.1 million Bellevue Hill mansion was offered up as security. That means Palmer would forfeit that sum if she failed to show for court or abide by her conditons
She said told the court he was in rehab for six weeks, and meanwhile, the defence and the prosecution will negotiate over the facts he will be sentenced upon.
The lawyer did not say why Hugo was in rehab. A previous court hearing was told he has suffered addictions to drugs including to ice, heroin and Valium.
Hugo’s father successfully sought to remove restraining order conditions that banned Hugo from going near his home or workplace.
Mr Ball senior told Deputy Chief Magistrate Jane Mottley that his relationship with his son was ‘generally, good’.
Hugo’s charge will return to court in February.
