Melbourne woman spends much of past nine years in seclusion after being found not guilty of assault due to mental impairment

A woman has spent much of the past nine years in seclusion at a secure forensic mental health facility in Melbourne. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

A Melbourne woman has been held for almost nine years in solitary confinement after being found not guilty because of mental impairment on assault charges, a court has heard.

The woman, whose identity is suppressed, has been held at Thomas Embling hospital, a secure forensic mental health facility since 2015.