Fed: Man accused of charging elderly woman refused bail

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2007
Fed: Man accused of charging elderly woman refused bail

A 31-year-old man accused of shoulder-charging an elderly woman in a busy Canberra
shopping centre .. just minutes before she died .. has told a court it was not his fault.

MATTHEW RAYMOND NICHOLLS from Ainslie has been refused bail today .. after facing the
ACT Magistrates Court charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

It's alleged NICHOLLS knocked 71-year-old COBEA VAN DER VOORDEN to the ground in Civic
yesterday morning .. half-an-hour before she had a suspected heart attack and died.

After choosing not to be represented by legal aid in court today .. NICHOLLS told the
court he wasn't to blame.

But Detective Senior Constable RICK GILL says several witnesses had seen NICHOLLS pushing
his left shoulder and both hands into Mrs VAN DER VOORDEN .. ordering her to get out of
his way.

He says NICHOLLS didn't offer to help Mrs Van DER VOORDEN .. from Watson .. when she
fell backwards onto a bike rack.

Detective GILL says there's security camera footage of the altercation.

He says Mrs VAN DER VOORDEN continued shopping despite substantial back pain .. but
collapsed in front of a music store just before midday complaining of chest pain.

It's believed she had a heart attack while waiting for an ambulance .. and was pronounced
dead on arrival at Calvary Hospital.

Detective GILL says police are expecting to lay further charges against NICHOLLS ..

but are awaiting the results of an autopsy.

He's told the court NICHOLLS has a significant criminal record which includes assaulting
police officers and failing to appear in court at least seven times.

Bail wasn't granted on the grounds NICHOLLS may reoffend or refuse to attend further
legal proceedings.

The matter's been adjourned until September 14.

AAP RTV kc/sb/tm

KEYWORD: NICHOLLS (CANBERRA)

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