By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A BERWICK ice user whose persistent family violence included inciting his ex-girlfriend to throw herself in front of a train has been refused appeal bail.
Jayden Calleya, 19, had applied for bail at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 2 November on the basis that his ice habit was under control after 12 days in juvenile custody.
Calleya was appealing a four month youth-detention sentence handed down in October at the same court.
He had been found guilty of assaulting, threatening to kill and breaching intervention orders protecting the girlfriend.
He had also been charged with twice inciting her to suicide, once by urging her to jump in front of a train.
In response, the victim jumped off a railway station platform on the tracks, but survived, the court heard.
The applicant had breached intervention orders against his girlfriend while on corrections orders in August and September, the court was told.
Calleya’s stepfather, who was called as a witness, said he had kicked out the accused from their Berwick family home during the offending.
“He started stealing my stuff and I didn’t want to put up with that,” he told the court.
Even after Calleya was kicked out, he still broke in and stole property from the family home, the stepfather said.
The stepfather pledged to the court he was prepared to take Calleya back home for bail because “I believe his behaviour has changed and he will be a better person”.
Calleya had promised not to touch ice again, the father said.
“He doesn’t want to be where he is (at the moment).
“I’ll plan to trust him. He’s learnt from his mistake and he’ll be fine.”
The stepfather told the court he didn’t think Calleya’s younger girlfriend was “any good” for his son and “probably” caused a lot of his son’s problems.
Calleya’s defence lawyer said that ice was the cause of Calleya’s offending over a “relatively short time”.
The lawyer said it was “telling” that Calleya had pledged he won’t be in contact with the girlfriend, and had not been in contact since being in custody.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said the stepfather’s evidence was “not enough” to secure appeal bail.
Mr Vandersteen noted Calleya had “persistently” breached family violence orders against his girlfriend even while on community based orders.
He said he wouldn’t bail Calleya to a home where the stepfather blamed the girlfriend rather than Calleya for his “problems”.
There were no drug and alcohol services organised for Calleya’s release, Mr Vandersteen said.
“There’s less in place than when I placed him on a (community-based supervision) order in September.
“He’s re-offended too, so that’s why he’s spent the time in custody.”
Calleya’s appeal is at the County Court on 9 December.
