The man accused of mowing down pedestrians in Melbourne’s CBD has complained about “disgusting” prison conditions.
Zain Khan, 26, returned to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday for his first appearance since he was charged in September last year.
During the hearing, he intervened repeatedly, prompting the presiding magistrate to ask for his microphone to be turned off.
“Can I go back to Thomas Embling (hospital), I’ve been here for a month and I want to go back,” he said via video link from prison.
‘I’m doing well and they still won’t take me back.
Zain Khan (pictured) was charged with crimes including murder and attempted murder after allegedly mowing down pedestrians in Melbourne’s CBD
“It’s disgusting… filthy. They don’t give me clean clothes. I tell them to give me clean clothes, but they don’t.’
Khan’s lawyer, Julia Munster, told the court her client wanted to avoid a hearing and “fast-track” the case to the High Court.
But the magistrate said she had not been able to read the evidence against Mr Khan and was unwilling to commit him without understanding the case.
“Given the way the process needs to go, I don’t want to hold it up,” she said.
“We’re going to try to bring him back this afternoon.”
After Khan’s microphone was cut off, he wandered around the room before coming closer and staring directly into the camera.
Mr Khan was charged with offenses including murder, three counts of attempted murder and two counts of conduct endangering life after allegedly driving his car into pedestrians on Bourke Street on September 8 last year.
Mr Khan is said to have sat on the roof of his car until police arrived after allegedly driving into pedestrians
Police will allege he drove his mother’s white Toyota sedan along the tram tracks at around 6.20pm, hitting three pedestrians before accelerating and crashing into two cars.
The driver of a Hyundai, a 76-year-old man, died at the scene, while five others were taken to hospital.
Confronting footage of the aftermath showed police pulling the driver from the roof of his car, where he remained for several minutes as shocked bystanders watched.
The case is expected to return Monday afternoon.