The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Monday that Craig Joseph Hansen, 47, who had chosen to stop taking his medication before Sunday's rampage, was being kept in a padded cell before his scheduled appearance.

But Mr Hansen refused to either speak with Victoria Legal Aid lawyers or leave his cell to appear before the court.

Police allege Mr Hansen attacked a group of five women – two of them aged in their 80s – at Glenhuntly station on Sunday morning and pushed four of them onto the tracks.

He had earlier slashed a woman's handbag with a kitchen knife, police said, and pushed the women after the knife snapped.

Mr Hansen is charged with 26 offences, including four counts of attempted murder, four of reckless conduct endangering life and three of intentionally causing serious injury, and making a threat to kill.

Three of the women are still in The Alfred hospital, all in a stable condition.

The two other women reportedly suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Deputy chief magistrate Jelena Popovic had court officer Bob Allen assess Mr Hansen on Monday, and was told the accused man had a significant history at the Thomas Embling Hospital.

Mr Allen later told Ms Popovic that Mr Hansen was in a padded cell underneath the court complex.

"He puts a lot of people at risk downstairs," Mr Allen said.

"He is extremely violent. It's far better he doesn't come into the court from our point of view."

Mr Hansen had chosen to go off his medication, Mr Allen said, and now needed to be stabilised.

Authorities had prepared a 17-page report detailing his mental-health problems, the court heard.

Ms Popovic adjourned the case for a week in the hope Mr Hansen is well enough to appear in court.