The man accused of mowing down pedestrians in Melbourne‘s CBD has complained about the ‘disgusting’ conditions in prison.
Zain Khan, 26, returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday for his first appearance since he was charged in September last year.
He repeatedly interjected throughout the hearing, leading the presiding magistrate to ask for his microphone to be cut off.
‘Can I go back to Thomas Embling (Hospital), I’ve been here a month and I want to go back,’ he said via a video link from prison.
‘I’ve been doing well and they still do not take me back.
Zain Khan (pictured) was charged with offences including murder and attempted murder after allegedly mowing down pedestrians in Melbourne’s CBD
‘It’s disgusting … filthy. They’re not giving me clean clothes, I tell them to give me clean clothes and they don’t.’
Mr Khan’s lawyer, Julia Munster, told the court her client was seeking to avoid a committal hearing and ‘fast track’ the case to the Supreme Court.
But the magistrate said she had not been able to read the brief of evidence against Mr Khan and was not prepared to commit him without understanding the case.
‘Given the way it’s sought to proceed, I’m not wanting to hold it up,’ she said.
‘We’re going to try and bring it back this afternoon.’
After Khan’s microphone was cut, he wandered around the room before approaching and staring directly into the camera.
Mr Khan was charged with offences including murder, three counts of attempted murder and two counts of conduct endangering life after he allegedly drove his car into pedestrians on Bourke Street on September 8 last year.
Mr Khan allegedly sat on the roof of his car until police arrived after he allegedly ploughed into the pedestrians
Police will allege he drove his mother’s white Toyota sedan down the tram tracks about 6.20pm and struck three pedestrians before speeding up and smashing 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 pull the driver from the roof of his car, where he sat for minutes as shocked bystanders watched on.
The case is expected to return on Monday afternoon.