A man who stabbed a nurse in the neck as she took her work break in 2019 has been found not guilty due to mental incompetence.
Trent Jason Miller was arrested in June 2019 and charged with causing serious harm to the Lyell McEwin Hospital nurse.
SA Police at the time released a statement saying a man asked the nurse for a cigarette before stabbing her with a "sharp object".
He then fled from the scene.
The nurse was treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Miller, who does not have a fixed address, was arrested at Murray Bridge shortly after the incident.
The attack sparked outcry from the Nurses' Union, which raised further concerns about security at hospitals across the state at the time.
In South Australia's District Court today, Judge Paul Cuthbertson said the "objective elements" of the offence had already been established in a previous hearing.
But he said he had found Mr Miller not guilty of the offence due to his mental state.
"I understand based on the report … that the parties don't require an inquiry into the defendant's mental incompetence," he said.
"I'm prepared to declare … the defendant was mentally incompetent to commit the offences.
"I find him not guilty … and declare him to be liable to supervision."
A number of reports, including a psychiatric report, have been ordered to help the court determine for how long he should remain under a supervision order.
He is due to appear in court again in July.
