Man banned from Warwick

A WARWICK businessman taken into custody and charged with breaching a domestic violence order has pleaded with a magistrate to loosen his bail conditions two weeks after they were enforced.

The man, who cannot be named, was banned from entering Warwick for any reason other than to carry on his business as a condition of being released from custody on bail.

Just two weeks after the order was enforced, the man returned to the court to ask magistrate Virginia Sturgess for leniency.

Appearing in Warwick Magistrates Court this week, he asked for his bail conditions to be loosened so he could do a range of things including visit with his children, be involved in their sporting activities, get counselling, go to doctor’s appointments and “speak to someone about Christianity”.

Ms Sturgess appeared less than receptive to the man’s request, saying the condition that required him to stay out of Warwick was “an important factor” in deciding whether to grant him bail.

“Two weeks ago you said, through your lawyer, the only necessary reason for you to come into Warwick was to engage in your business,” Ms Sturgess said.

“Now just two weeks later you want to come and do everything under the sun, quite frankly. You could have stayed in custody.

“Why should I now change the bail today?”

The man told Ms Sturgess “it is all about bettering myself” and the requests were for “necessary” activities.

When quizzed on his intended appointments, the man told the magistrate he had a doctor visit booked for after his court appearance.

“That was presumptuous of you,” Ms Sturgess fired back. Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa told the court he didn’t support a significant relaxing of conditions, saying the allegations were “very serious in the current climate”.

“Your Honour is correct, it is only a very, very short period of time and while I sympathise with the defendant, the only concession I would add would be for counselling and legal and medical appointments,” he said.

“If (the defendant) was in custody, he wouldn’t be able to maintain the lifestyle he is looking for here.”

Ms Sturgess agreed to limited adjustments to allow the man to attend medical and legal appointments.

All other requests were denied.

“I only gave you bail two weeks ago and don’t make these conditions for the fun of it. I make them because they are necessary,” she said.