Accused denies stabbing

A WESTCOURT woman accused of a stabbing assault against two family members will defend the charges.

Yesterday, Kaidii Dayl Ephraums denied any involvement in the stabbing of a 31year-old man and 19-year-old woman about 2.45am on New Year’s Day, but her bail application was rejected.

The Cairns Magistrates Court was told that the man was in a serious but stable condition in the intensive care unit. It is understood they are Ms Ephraums’ second cousin and niece.

Legal Aid Queensland duty solicitor Linda Cho argued that the strength of the police case was “debatable”. “Apart from the evidence of the two victims there is no other evidence pointing towards Ms Ephraums,” Ms Cho said.

The court was told that Ms Ephraums, 27, had been at the house at her mother’s invi- tation even though she should not have been there.

“She doesn’t understand why she has been picked as the person who committed these offences but there has been some internal family dispute … and she assumed that that is the reason why,” Ms Cho said.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Troy Sutton said that consideration was “almost ludicrous”.

“That would mean that these two have been stabbed by someone they could have identified to police, chose not to identify that person, chose to use this as their opportunity to somehow get back at the defendant,” Sgt Sutton said.

He told the court that the two complainants had positively identified Ms Ephraums and there had been no chance for them to collude.

Acting Magistrates Raimund Heggie said there was a strong police case and the charges were quite serious.

Ms Ephraums was denied bail and matters were adjourned to late next month.