A 62-year-old registered nurse is behind bars in Western Australia accused of attempting to murder her husband, after being his carer for almost a decade.
Wendy Ruth Sym is alleged to have injected the 69-year-old with a high dose of insulin while he was being treated at the Joondalup Health Campus in January last year.
The Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court in Perth was told on Wednesday Ms Sym's husband, Ken, suffered from an aggressive form dementia for around nine years and she was his primary carer.
Mr Sym also had type 2 diabetes and it is alleged that after taking him to hospital for treatment for complications from the dementia, Mrs Sym administered the insulin to try to kill him.
Nurses, who had recorded his blood glucose level as being normal in the hours before, then found Mr Sym unresponsive and in a comatose state.
He was found to have what the court heard was an abnormal blood glucose level and an insulin vial was found in the toilet with his wife's DNA on it.
Ken Sym died after stroke, court hears
While Mr Sym survived, the court was told he died two months later after suffering a stroke.
Mrs Sym was only charged with attempted murder last week and appeared in court via video link from Melaleuca Women's Prison.
Her lawyer, Seamus Rafferty, applied for her to be released on bail, telling the court his client denied the allegations against her.
The application was opposed by state prosecutor, Katrin Robinson, who said there were concerns Mrs Sym would try to take her own life.
Ms Robinson said an attempt was made when she was first interviewed by police 20 months ago and a suicide note was also found later in which she wrote, "I cannot bear the thought of a court case and trying to convince strangers I am not a horrible person".
The court also heard just before she was arrested last week, Mrs Sym had travelled to the South West where pills and notes were found in her car which Ms Robinson alleged were "akin to suicide notes".
Wendy Sym previously in 'state of despair': Lawyer
But Mr Rafferty disputed his client was suicidal now, saying at the time she tried to take her own life last year, she was suffering "carer's fatigue".
"She wasn't getting any help at that time, and she was in such a state of despair." Mr Rafferty submitted.
"It got to the point where she believed [her husband] was not receiving adequate care and the only way he would get it, was if she was out of the picture."
Mr Rafferty said the reason Mrs Sym had gone down south just before her arrest, was to "get out of town and clear her head".
"To get away from everything, clear her mind, get back on track and return" he said.
"She had been investigated since early 2021 … a week ago there was a lot going on.
"She very firmly has no intention to end her life."
Court seeks psychological reports
The bail application was adjourned after Magistrate Janet Whitbread said she had no reports from any qualified medical professionals about Mrs Sym's state of mind.
Mr Rafferty said he would therefore seek to provide the court with psychological and psychiatric reports which would take about four weeks to finalise.
Mrs Sym was again remanded in custody until the bail application resumes in late November.
