Footy coach seeking bail Man accused of death threats
A FAR Northern junior rugby league coach accused of threatening to kill his wife many times via text message is set to make a bid for bail in a Cairns court.
Innisfail man James Mercer, 35, is facing six charges including deprivation of liberty, using a carriage service to menace or harass and drug supply.
The Cairns Post has obtained court documents where it is alleged he sent his partner of 14 years Renai Wiber a series of text messages during September which included threats that he would “take your last breath from u (sic)”, “hope you die painfully soon” and “can’t wait till u (sic) die”.
Police have alleged during one episode, on September 12, Ms Wiber was driving to her son’s soccer training and Mr Mercer refused to let her travel alone, taking the car keys and telling her: “I am going where ever you are going”.
She allegedly got out of the car at the sports ground and whispered to her sister to call the police, before Mr Mercer was taken into custody where he has remained.
“The victim stated to police later that she thought she was going to die,” police have alleged.
Mr Mercer, who is the coaching co-ordinator for the Innisfail Cowboys Junior Rugby League Club, is scheduled to apply for bail in the Cairns Supreme Court today.
He has claimed he “never laid a finger on my wife” and the allegations should be viewed “in the context of a long happy and ongoing rela- tionship”. He was initially denied bail in the Innisfail Magistrates Court last month.
He said, in an affidavit, he would plead guilty to the drug supply charge and the evidence against him in the other charges would be “weak”.
Mr Mercer said he accepted he had a lengthy criminal history, but most of that occurred while he was an ice user for 11 years and now he only smoked cannabis for back pain.
According to the affidavit, he said he would relocate to Townsville if granted bail where he has been offered a job and have no contact with his wife.
He offered to abide by any bail conditions including a curfew and a ban from entering Innisfail.
Mr Mercer also said in his affidavit the family lost everything in a house fire last year.
THE VICTIM STATED TO POLICE LATER THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DIE
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