A man accused of seriously injuring three women by pushing them onto railway tracks at a Melbourne train station has been deemed mentally unstable and too dangerous to appear in court.

Craig Joseph Hansen, 46, is facing 26 charges, including several counts of attempted murder and putting people in danger by dragging or throwing them into a railway pit.

Hansen allegedly attacked five women at the Glenhuntly train station, in the city’s south-east.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard he had refused legal aid and was being held in a padded cell because he was “extremely violent” and could not be moved.

Magistrate Jelena Popovic was told he had a long history of mental illness and treatment that stretched to 17 pages and he had stopped taking his medication.

The magistrate decided Hansen should remain in custody for seven days so he could be mentally assessed and treated, before returning to court.

The court was told however that it could take three weeks to stabilise Hansen so he was no longer a danger to the public and could stand in a court of law.

-ABC