An 88-year-old woman has been charged with attempted murder over allegations that she tried to kill her husband, Robert Branchi, the retired chairman of Perth car dealership group Automotive Holdings Group.

Gay Bernadette Branchi was arrested late last Thursday, 24 September, at The Queenslea, the aged care home in Claremont where the couple share a room, WAtoday reported this morning. The Australian Financial Review has also reported the charge.

Police have not said publicly what happened. The charge is an allegation only and has not been tested in court.

A bedside hearing

Mrs Branchi appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday by audio link from her bedside. According to WAtoday, she could be heard crying during the hearing.

Her Legal Aid lawyer asked for her to be released on bail. The magistrate said she could not hear that application: in Western Australia, bail on a murder or attempted murder charge has to be dealt with by the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court, which handles the early stages of serious cases headed for the Supreme Court. That court sits once a fortnight.

The court heard there were concerns about Mrs Branchi's cognitive capacity. The magistrate said she was worried about keeping a very vulnerable woman, possibly living with dementia, in custody, but that the law left her no choice.

"I have real concerns as to whether she can be remanded in custody." — the magistrate, as reported by WAtoday

Who is Robert Branchi?

Mr Branchi is one of the best-known figures in Perth's motor trade. He chaired Automotive Holdings Group, the Perth-based dealership network, from 2004 until he retired in late 2010, after a quarter of a century on its board, and was for years one of its major shareholders.

He now heads a family foundation that gives regularly to Telethon and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. The couple still own the riverside home in Mosman Park they bought in 1995, according to WAtoday.

The Queenslea is one of the most expensive residential aged care homes in Perth, with room deposits reported to be above $1.6 million.

What happens now

Mrs Branchi is listed to appear at Stirling Gardens tomorrow, Wednesday 30 September, where she is expected to apply for bail. She has not entered a plea.

The case is likely to raise hard questions about how the justice system treats very old people with suspected dementia who are accused of serious crimes, including whether a prison or a secure hospital is the right place for them while a case is under way.

WA Police has not issued a public statement. Everything Perth will update this story after tomorrow's hearing.

If this story raises concerns for you, support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14 and the Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 724 679.

Photo: The Supreme Court of Western Australia, next to the Stirling Gardens court, by Michal Lewi via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo.