A man accused of torching a Brisbane bus, murdering the driver and trapping more than a dozen passengers inside may never face trial, a magistrate has suggested.
Accused Moorooka bus attacker Anthony Mark O'Donohue's charges, including 14 counts of attempted murder, were all referred on Monday to a mental health callover despite protests from his lawyer.
More QLD News Videos
- Video duration
- 01:20
Video shows bus attacker
Video shows bus attacker
Security camera footage shows a man allegedly igniting a bus south of Brisbane, killing the driver. Nine News: October 28, 2016
Up Next
MP's tears for Mojgan
- Video duration
- 03:04
- Video duration
- 03:04
MP's tears for Mojgan
MP's tears for Mojgan
Mark Bailey makes an emotional plea in parliament for Iranian refugee Mojgan Shamsalipoor, a Brisbane student in a detention centre. March 16, 2016
Up Next
Tim Nicholls: 'a tremendous honour'
- Video duration
- 02:00
- Video duration
- 02:00
Tim Nicholls: 'a tremendous honour'
Tim Nicholls: 'a tremendous honour'
Tim Nicholls is "very grateful" to be the new LNP leader but the Katter party is "disappointed" and say the new leader has been "very difficult to work with" in the past.
Up Next
Snake eats wallaby on golf course
- Video duration
- 00:00
- Video duration
- 00:00
Snake eats wallaby on golf course
Snake eats wallaby on golf course
Cairns golfers are stopped mid round after spotting a snake devouring a wallaby on the fairway.
Up Next
Cowan will not 'ever get out'
- Video duration
- 01:53
- Video duration
- 01:53
Cowan will not 'ever get out'
Cowan will not 'ever get out'
Brett Cowan has his final avenue of appeal against his conviction for murdering Daniel Morcombe rejected by the High Court. 7 News Queensland: March 11, 2016
Up Next
Japanese tourist dies on Great Barrier Reef
- Video duration
- 00:22
- Video duration
- 00:22
Japanese tourist dies on Great Barrier ...
Japanese tourist dies on Great Barrier Reef
In the fourth death in a month on Great Barrier Reef, a 75-year-old Japanese tourist dies while snorkelling. Vision courtesy ABC News 24
Up Next
Snorkelling deaths 'almost unheard of'
- Video duration
- 01:34
- Video duration
- 01:34
Snorkelling deaths 'almost unheard of'
Snorkelling deaths 'almost unheard of'
Two French tourists have apparent heart failure at the same time while snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns. November 16, 2016
Up Next
Arrests over boy's death
- Video duration
- 01:00
- Video duration
- 01:00
Arrests over boy's death
Arrests over boy's death
Two people are arrested over the death of a 10-year-old boy at Mackenzie, south of Brisbane in July, 2015. Nine News
Video shows bus attacker
Security camera footage shows a man allegedly igniting a bus south of Brisbane, killing the driver. Nine News: October 28, 2016
Magistrate Suzette Coates told the court the 48-year-old might spend the rest of his life in The Park mental health centre, pending a psychiatric assessment.
Police allege Mr O'Donohue boarded a Brisbane City Council bus in the city's south on October 28 and threw an "incendiary device" on driver Manmeet Sharma.
Mr Sharma burned to death and passengers on board were trapped, only rescued when charismatic taxi driver Aguek Nyok, a refugee widely hailed as a hero, kicked in the door.
The 28-year-old's death sent waves of grief through Brisbane and to his home in India, prompting strong enough concern for Indian PM Narendra Modi to reach out to his Australian counterpart, Malcolm Turnbull.
It was initially thought there were 11 passengers on board the 125 bus as it pulled up in central Moorooka at 9.05am.
But police announced on Tuesday they had spoken with another three passengers, prompting three more charges of attempted murder.
Those charges were heard in the Roma Street Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning, where Legal Aid solicitor Sarah Lynch and Ms Coates clashed repeatedly.
Ms Lynch told the court her client was a "classified" patient under an involuntary treatment order and his charges were suspended, pending a mental health report.
She asked for the matter to remain before a committal callover but Ms Coates said it "needs to go to the Mental Health Court".
"I am the mental health magistrate and I will make the necessary course," she said.
"Any matters that are involving a suspension should go to the mental health callover, end of story.
"So I will scoop all the matters involving this man to the mental health callover. Which date would you like?"
Ms Coates initially resisted a defence request for the prosecution to provide a full brief of evidence for the three additional attempted murder charges.
"Just intellectually, why would I be doing the full brief of evidence when he might be finally declared to be permanently incapacitated?" she said.
"So tell me why I would be doing that, why I would be putting prosecutions to that particular issue in circumstances where he may well receive an order that's going to place him in The Park for the rest of his life."
Ms Lynch said a forensic psychiatrist would need collateral material such as records of interview and witness statements to carry out their full assessment and Ms Coates agreed.
The Park - Centre for Mental Health, Treatment, Research and Education, is one of Australia's largest mental health facilities, with almost 150 beds.
Mr O'Donohue faces one count of murder, 14 counts of attempted murder and one count of arson, listed for a mental health callover in February.
His previous mental health treatment in Queensland's public system was put under review in the wake of the alleged attack.