A former high-flying real estate agent will remain behind bars after he allegedly stabbed the wife of his best friend in a brazen daylight attack at her multimillion-dollar Sydney home.
Matthew Brian Ramsay chose not to appear in court on Tuesday morning, almost 24 hours after he was arrested for the alleged stabbing of mother-of-two Helen Coulston at her Dover Heights home.
But the court was told that just weeks before the allegedly spontaneous attack, Mr Ramsay was allegedly caught stealing $31 worth of snacks and flavoured milk from a petrol station.
According to court documents, the 46-year-old went into an Ampol Foodary on July 17 and tried to nick a $3.50 Snickers bar, two Oak brand flavoured milks worth $5.70 each and a packet of Mars Pods chocolates which cost $6.50.
He also allegedly stole two Ice flavoured milks valued at $4.80 each.
Mr Ramsay’s more serious charge was laid after he allegedly walked up to the $4.5 million dollar home of Ms Coulston, knocked on the door and stabbed the mother-of-two on Monday.
Police allege the former real estate agent stabbed Ms Coulston in the doorway of her home at about 12.15pm.
Her harrowing screams alerted a nearby tradie to the ordeal, who rushed over to help.
Peter Haramis told NCA NewsWire he started to run when he heard her screams become more panicked.
“She was just screaming: ‘Help me! Help! He’s gonna kill me!’” Mr Haramis said.
“Then I started running up the hill. He sort of looked at me and he froze for a second and I thought, ‘I’m gonna have to run at him here. I don’t know what’s going to happen.’”
Ms Coulston allegedly managed to grab the knife out of the 46-year-old’s hand and threw it past Mr Haramis, before Mr Ramsay turned and walked back towards his white Audi A5.
“I picked up the knife … he started walking towards me,” Mr Haramis said.
“Then the guy just calmly turns around and starts walking up the hill to his car.”
Mr Ramsay was arrested a short time later on Campbell Parade at Bondi Beach and was charged with causing a wound or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
He did not leave the cells to appear at Waverley Local Court when his matter was mentioned on Tuesday.
Defence lawyer Andrew O’Brien mentioned the matter before Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge on Tuesday morning without his client.
Mr O’Brien said there was “quite a disparity” between the two charges Mr Ramsay was facing.
The lawyer did not apply for the real estate agent to be released on bail and adjourned the grievous bodily harm charge to be dealt with in October.
He also mentioned the larceny charge and indicated Mr Ramsay would try to get it thrown out with a mental health application to be heard in September.
Mr O’Brien told the court if the mental health application were to fail, Mr Ramsay would plead guilty to the larceny charge.
While Mr Ramsay refused to face court, media surrounded the Dover Heights home where Ms Coulston was stabbed.
It has now been revealed Mr Ramsay is a close family friend of Ms Coulston and her family.
The alleged victim’s husband, Walt Coulston, told The Daily Telegraph his wife was doing “the best she can”, recovering from the incident.
He also told media Mr Ramsay was the best man at their wedding and Godfather to their children.
Mr Coulston said his wife’s alleged attacker was close to the family.
“He was the best man at our wedding, God father of our children … how do you think I feel,” he said.
Ms Coulston is in a stable condition in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
