No bail for assault accused
Man allegedly attacked a sleeping woman during wild spree
A magistrate has refused bail for a young man who allegedly hit a woman while she was sleeping after he broke into her Geelong home.
Scott Quilliam, 20, appeared via video link from Karreenga prison and applied for bail.
He is facing five charges, including assault causing injury, conduct endangering persons and aggravated burglary.
His alleged burglary spree began at a Grovedale home at 12.35am on January 1, 2024.
He was allegedly wearing a face covering and carrying a bag when he approached a home and tried to open a front door. The homeowner was woken up by his security system and called police.
Police attended the scene but the man was not found. Later that morning at 3am, Mr Quilliam allegedly broke into a Torquay Rd home after he stood in a garden bed and removed the flywire from a window.
The court heard he stole the 35-year-old victim’s car keys, before walking into her bedroom and taking her phone, which was charging on her night stand.
He then allegedly hit the sleeping woman over the head with an unknown object, leaving a 12 cm cut and swelling on her forehead.
The victim woke abruptly and grabbed a broken curtain pole and started swinging it at the intruder.
Mr Quilliam allegedly fled the scene and drove away in the victim’s car.
The victim ran outside for help, still clutching the curtain pole with the curtain attached.
Neighbours found the woman on her nature strip, covered in blood, and called emergency services.
Police will allege Mr Quilliam then drove to a Hamlyn Heights street in the victim’s car, and drove it into the garage doors of three homes.
A neighbour witnessed the car collide with one roller door, reverse and then drive back into it.
Mr Quilliam allegedly then left the vehicle, and entered the garage through the broken door, stealing tools and placing them back in the car.
The neighbour called police who arrested Mr Quilliam at the scene. The stolen phone was found in the car.
He refused to be interviewed after the incident.
The court heard Mr Quilliam was on bail and on a community corrections order at the time of the alleged offending.
Magistrate Simon Gutherie refused Mr Quilliam’s bail application, saying he was an unacceptable risk to the community and had little regard for court orders.
“Sadly at 20 years of age you are an unacceptable risk to the community,” he said.
Mr Quilliam’s facial expression remained unchanged as he was refused bail.
Police prosecutors said they were still in the process of testing evidence, including a broom handle they believe may be the unknown object the sleeping victim was hit with.
Other evidence presented by police will include fingerprints of the accused found on the window and flyscreen of the Torquay Rd home, shoe impressions and blood swabs.
Mr Quilliam will appear before the Geelong Magistrates Court on April 23.