A Melbourne teenager alleged to have attacked Opals basketball aspirant Rachel Jarry had witnessed a brutal homicide and was to have given evidence in a murder trial, a court has heard.
Jessica Croucher, 18, is accused with two others of punching and kicking Jarry and a female friend of the Olympic hopeful in central Melbourne in the early hours of January 8.
Croucher also allegedly stole handbags, mobile phones, wallets and money belonging to the two women.
Jarry sustained bleeding and bruising to her face. Her friend suffered a fractured nose.
It was one of three attacks by Croucher and her group that night, including one in which a man was allegedly slashed with a box cutter.
Croucher applied for bail in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
She broke down in the dock as her lawyer, Belinda Franjic, described how she had witnessed a "particularly brutal homicide" in November 2010 which had resulted in post-traumatic stress disorder.
Croucher had been a witness in a pre-trial proceeding and was to have given evidence at a trial, but there had been a guilty plea, Ms Franjic said.
Croucher had not eaten or slept for two weeks after witnessing the killing, she said.
Ms Franjic said it was her client's first time in custody and, if granted bail, she was prepared to adhere to strict conditions including a curfew.
Prosecutor Sarah Kavanagh opposed bail, saying the alleged offences were very serious and Croucher posed a risk to the public.
The court heard Jarry had to take time off from her training because of the attack.
Jarry was selected in the (American) WNBA draft but has postponed moving to the United States to try to make the Opals team for the London Olympics.
Croucher, of North Melbourne, is facing 22 charges, including three counts of robbery and two counts of intentionally causing serious injury.
Magistrate Donna Bakos will deliver her bail decision on Friday.
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