Brendan Nugent facing three charges over attack against Australian MP Helen Haines

Victoria Police have laid three charges against 43-year-old Brendan Nugent after he allegedly struck independent MP Helen Haines with his car on Monday. Detectives on Tuesday night charged Nugent with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury.

He was also charged with the federal offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official - which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment. He is due to appear in the Wangaratta Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. In a statement, Victoria Police said officers would allege the incident was targeted.

The ABC has confirmed Haines has lost one leg and doctors are fighting to save the other after she was pinned between two cars outside her electorate office in Victoria's north-east. Haines, 65, suffered critical lower-body injuries in the Wangaratta attack and was flown to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne.

Helen Haines was critically injured when she was struck by a four-wheel-drive on Monday. ABC News / Ian Cutmore Parliamentary colleagues and members of the community have expressed their shock and support for Ms Haines, who has been the member for Indi since 2019. Family of accused address 'devastating' incident On Tuesday officers searched Mr Nugent's Tarrawingee home, roughly 15 kilometres east of the rural city of Wangaratta.

Family members of Mr Nugent also released a statement, saying "all of our love and all of our thoughts are with Helen and her family and friends". In the statement, Mr Nugent's father Rod Nugent and Rod's partner Christine Cunningham said Ms Haines had been their friend for more than 20 years and Monday's events were "devastating and unfathomable".

"Helen Haines is a deeply respected, valued and much loved member of our local community," the statement said. "We would like to sincerely thank members of the local community and police who came to Helen's aid yesterday after the shocking and horrific crime. "We will be assisting Victoria Police in any way we can." - ABC