By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A teenager accused of bashing another man with a baseball bat in a Narre Warren milk bar car park has had his bail application put sensationally on hold.
Jake Cruikshank, 18, and his father were co-accused of assaulting the victim at Greenridge Avenue on 28 April, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard.
Cruikshank – who had been on bail and parole at the time – has denied to the police that he carried a baseball bat during the incident, the bail hearing heard on 30 April.
The father and son had allegedly walked 100 metres to the milk bar to stop the victim meeting a close female relative.
The victim observed the father approaching in an “aggressive manner” and holding knuckle-dusters, police prosecutor Senior Constable Julie Delaney told the court.
The victim claimed that the teenager struck him to the head with a baseball bat.
Cruikshank also used the bat to strike the victim after he fell to the ground, and then to attack the victim’s Hilux’s windows and panels.
As the victim drove away, Cruikshank allegedly pointed the bat at him like it was a shot-gun or rifle, Sen Const Delaney said.
The victim was treated at Casey Hospital for injuries, including a significant laceration to the head, the court was told.
Cruikshank told police the next day he didn’t get involved in the fight except for calling the victim a “dog” and punching the Hilux door with his hand.
The victim was a “junkie” who was “off his head”, he told police.
Sen Const Delaney said the “seriously injured” victim was in fear of his safety. Police would seek a apprehended-violence safety notice to protect him, she said.
“(Cruikshank) has a significant history of violence and committing offences whilst on bail.”
Cruikshank also denied involvement in a home burglary in March including the theft of credit cards then used to buy $430 of items including booze and fast-food.
He was also accused of travelling in a car stolen during an aggravated burglary, and shoplifting a $75 bottle of champagne.
Defence lawyer Nicholas Hanos said his instructions were that Cruikshank at no time wielded a bat and was only supporting his father.
The victim was contravening an intervention order at the time, Mr Hanos told the court.
It was “highly important” that Cruikshank would be freed to continue his TAFE education “to be able to support himself and do something meaningful with his life”.
However, after an interval, Mr Hanos notified the court that he was stepping down from the case.
Victoria Legal Aid had withdrawn its funding for the bail app due to Youth Justice not supporting the application, he told the court.
“Effectively I’m doing this pro bono at this point.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen told Cruikshank that he wouldn’t have granted him bail if the application had continued.
In the public gallery, a man in support of Cruikshank attempted to interject, offering to pay Mr Hanos to continue.
Mr Vandersteen rejected the man’s attempts to ask the court a question. A female in the support party exploded with expletives and tears as she left the court.
Cruikshank was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 4 May.
