Jahangir Sharifabadi, 37, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, a day after he was arrested and charged over a stabbing on a tram.
His lawyer told the court her client had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and asked for the prison nurse to see him as soon as possible.
She also requested he be transferred from the court's holding cells to the Melbourne Assessment Prison, where he could access treatment.
The homeless man was on bail when he allegedly stabbed a woman on a route 1 tram travelling along Eastern Road in South Melbourne about midday on Tuesday.
He used a knife to stab the victim in the neck, charge sheets released by the court alleged.
The 51-year-old was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Her alleged attacker was arrested a short time later nearby.
Led into court wearing a green prison jumper, Sharifabadi looked around the courtroom as he listened to proceedings translated into Persian.
He is facing several charges, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, intentionally causing injury, stalking, possessing and assaulting with a weapon and committing an offence while on bail.
Sharifabadi has also been charged with breaching a bail condition by allegedly coming within 200 metres of the Melbourne CBD.
The accused stabber looked down and shifted on his feet as the magistrate explained the next steps in his case.
As he was led out of the courtroom, a member of the public watching from the court video link unmuted themselves and yelled a profanity and "dog".Â
Sharifabadi will return before the court on October 20.
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