Magistrate denies bail

ASSAULT ACCUSED BACK IN COURT NEXT MONTH

A man accused of assaulting the mother of his children before being found hiding from police in the roof of his father’s house has faced Shepparton Magistrates’ Court.

The 22-year-old, who cannot be named, is facing charges including persistent contravention of a family violence intervention order, assault, contravening bail conditions and breaching a community corrections order.

Police informant Detective Senior Constable Glen White told a bail application the victim — the man’s former partner — found the accused in her house on July 21, having been let inside by her young daughter.

The court heard the man was allegedly “immediately verbally abusive”, before the victim found herself lying on the ground, unable to recall if she had been pushed over or if she fell.

It is alleged the man attempted to both punch and kick her, while their 18-month-old child crawled towards her. The court heard the victim attempted to move away to protect the child, before the accused allegedly grabbed her by the hair and dragged her around for about two minutes.

Det Sen Constable White said the accused let go when their three-year-old child began screaming, before he punched three holes in the plaster wall. The accused is said to have then left the property before police attended and observed the damage.

Police were unable to locate the accused until September 3, when they found him hiding in the roof of his father’s Shepparton address.

The accused has denied all the alleged offences.

Det Sen Constable White said the accused was on bail awaiting trial, charged with home invasion, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment and recklessly causing injury for a matter where he was alleged to have attended a property with three cooffenders and kicked in the door, before assaulting an occupant and stealing property.

Det Sen Constable White said he was also on bail for another matter, where he was accused of biting two police officers while they attempted to restrain him.

The application heard from the accused’s father, who lives at the proposed bail address.

His father denied knowing his son was attempting to hide in his roof when he was arrested, stating he did not know he was at the house.

Defence counsel Shana McDonald submitted exceptional circumstances to grant bail were made out through the accused’s youth, availability of family support and the availability of treatment from the Court Integrated Services Program.

Police prosecutor Samantha Owen argued he was still an unacceptable risk.

Magistrate Peter Dunn refused the application, instead remanding the man to appear back in court on November 5, saying “he gives the court no confidence”.