A Melbourne man accused of randomly stabbing five innocent strangers in an alleged terrifying attack has refused to appear in court

An accused serial killer who randomly attacked five people over the weekend has refused to appear in court or speak to anyone since being thrown behind bars.

Christopher Raftopoulos, 31, is accused of carrying a bag of knives and carrying out an unprovoked stabbing over three hours in suburban Melbourne between Saturday and Sunday.

He has been charged with fourteen counts of assault causing injury and one count of possession of a controlled weapon.

Police allege he may have used several different knives to stab five people in four separate attacks in the CBD and St Kilda.

Raftopoulos was due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday but refused to leave his prison cell.

When taken into custody on Sunday he was exhibiting catatonic schizophrenia, the court was told.

His lawyer Michael Amad said he could not have taken instructions from Raftopoulos because he refused to speak to him.

“I tried to talk to him about an hour ago and his position is that he doesn't want to talk to anyone,” he told the court.

“If the matter can be postponed for a few days, he may be in a better place in terms of giving instructions.”

Police arrested Raftopoulos in South Yarra. When taken into custody on Sunday he was exhibiting catatonic schizophrenia, the court heard

Mr Amad submitted a mental health report on Raftopoulos to the court, saying his client was not involved in any mental health treatment but had previously been ordered to undergo community treatment.

He was examined by a psychiatric nurse through the hatch of his cell but refused to speak to them, the court was told.

Magistrate Rose Falla said he appeared to be 'very unwell' and agreed to adjourn the hearing until later in the week in the hope his psychiatric condition improves and give him time to decide whether to instruct his lawyer .

The court had to be confident that he understood what was happening in his proceedings if they were to continue in his absence, Ms Falla said.

“He refuses to participate in the trial as of today,” she said.

Raftopoulos will be taken to a psychiatric prison hospital until he appears in court via video link on Friday.

A woman is fighting for her life after she and the man she was with were stabbed while walking along Dandenong Rd in St Kilda East. The photo shows a police officer looking for evidence

The three-hour stabbing began outside Yankees Burger Bar in King St on Saturday when a 24-year-old man was stabbed at around 10pm (pictured)

Detectives are investigating whether the attack started with the stabbing of a 28-year-old Mount Waverley man on City Road in Southbank at 9.20pm on Saturday.

Forty minutes later, a 24-year-old man was stabbed outside a hamburger shop on King Street and taken to hospital with leg injuries, police said.

A couple, both aged 31, were stabbed as they walked along Dandenong Road in St Kilda East at around 11pm.

The woman's condition is serious but stable and her partner, a Glen Waverley man, had a serious laceration to his arm.

A 31-year-old English man was attacked on Acland Street in St Kilda at around 12.30am on Sunday and taken to hospital with leg injuries.

Police said none of the victims knew the alleged attacker.

More to follow.