A 43-Year-Old man by the name of Peter Thao Vinh Phu Bui faced the Hornsby Local Court yesterday and was refused bail after being charged with a string of crimes including the brutal attempted murder of a great grandmother in her retirement home.
The man was arrested during a traffic stop on Wednesday following an extensive manhunt that followed the brutal bashing and robbery of an 84-year-old woman that took place on November 16.
Patricia Maton had only been living at her retirement home for six weeks when she returned home to find an intruder in her Turramuura unit located in Sydney’s Upper North Shore.
It is believed that the elderly victim startled Peter Thao Vinh Phu Bui who was in the process of stealing jewelry from her bedroom before the cowardly attacker turned physical.
The great-grandmother was viciously strangled and left with a broken nose, bleeding on the brain, and wounds to the face and arms in what could only be described as a callous and cold-hearted act of violence.
Police believe that the man was attempting to kill Patricia Maton as a means to steal her gold rings, and he was also accused of taking part in an aggravated burglary the day before the shocking assault.
Peter Thao Vinh Phu Bui was charged with attempted murder, aggravated burglary and inflicting grievous bodily harm in the attack that left his victim in a serious condition and in need of rehabilitation.
The victim’s daughter was visibly distressed at a recent press conference sharing her thoughts on the attacker and devastating mental effect that this incident has had on her mother.
“This should never, ever, ever happen to the most vulnerable of the vulnerable in our community,” she said.
“He is the lowest of low, and I would hope that if he has a mother or a grandmother and this was done to them that he would be as angry and as outraged as we are.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do with her to get her back to a point where she actually feels like she can be a part of our world again.”
Patricia Maton was recently widowed following the death of her husband in April and only two weeks prior to the attack the 84-year-old was actually dog sledding in Finland alongside her daughters.
“This has been a very, very shocking and distressing event in our family and mum is a very, very strong lady, and we will help her get over this, hopefully, and get her home again,” said the victim’s daughter.
Patricia Maton has told her family that she does want to return to her retirement home when she does get better.
Photo Courtesy of NSW Police
