Mason Trenfield-Villella was suffering from a gunshot wound when he was taken in by emergency department staff at the Ballarat Base Hospital late on Friday night.

Doctors assessed the 19-year-old and found he had been shot in the hip before he underwent surgery on Saturday night.

Police were called and found there was a warrant for Trenfield-Villella’s arrest, placing him under guard at his hospital bed as he received ongoing medical treatment.

Trenfield-Villella on Monday briefly appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates Court, where he limped on crutches from holding cells into a dock flanked by two custody officers.

According to documents tendered to the court, he has been charged with a string of serious offences relating to several incidents on April 9 – four days before he arrived at hospital with the gunshot wound.

However, circumstances surrounding the shooting were not detailed to the court and remain unclear.

Police allege Trenfield-Villella smashed up an Audi in Delacombe before making threats to inflict serious injury in Sebastopol on April 9.

Officers also allege he was carrying a rifle without a licence.

In court yesterday, defence lawyer Mike Wardell stressed Trenfield-Villella was in pain following the surgery, saying there would be custody management issues in coming weeks.

The court heard Trenfield-Villella has been suffering from serious mental health issues and was withdrawing from a drug of dependence. 

He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to appear in court again next month.