Woman charged after alleged hammer and knife attack at Blackalls Park

newy.com.au – A 39-year-old woman has been charged after police allege she attacked a 71-year-old woman with a hammer and knife at Blackalls Park in Lake Macquarie on Sunday afternoon.

The alleged assault was described by police as domestic violence-related and left the older woman in a serious but stable condition in hospital, before an hours-long search ended with the accused being arrested nearby.

Emergency services were called to Charles Street about 4.30pm on Sunday 1 February after reports of an assault, with officers told a woman known to the 71-year-old had allegedly attacked her with a hammer and a knife.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the injured woman at the scene before taking her to John Hunter Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Police allege the accused woman left the scene in a vehicle that had been stolen from Narara Street at Fassifern, and investigators established a crime scene as officers from Lake Macquarie Police District began inquiries.

During a search of the area, the allegedly stolen vehicle was found crashed and abandoned on Fassifern Road.

A 39-year-old woman was arrested after a search of nearby bushland and taken to Toronto Police Station, where she was charged with causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder (domestic violence), contravening a prohibition or restriction in an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO), and taking and driving a conveyance without the owner’s consent.

She was refused bail and is due to appear before Bail Division Court 2 on Monday 2 February.