By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A CASEY man accused of family violence has been bailed interstate, partly to give protection to his former spouse and two children.
The 32-year-old man, who was facing assault and breach-of-bail charges, will be bailed to live with his brother and uncle in Adelaide.
The man’s brother had driven to Dandenong Magistrates’ Court for the 29 February hearing, and was set to drive back home with the accused that night.
Among the man’s alleged offences on 6 February was threatening to hit his 10-year-old daughter if she spoke to police, the court heard.
At one stage, the wife and children allegedly removed themselves from the house and hid in a McDonald’s toilet at 3am.
“That decline in (the perpetrator’s) behaviour is usually attributable to drugs or alcohol,” Mr Vandersteen said.
The man had issues with alcohol, type-two diabetes and was taking anti-psychotic medication, though he had no diagnosed mental illness, the court was told.
The accused was arrested again on 10 February when he attended the house in breach of bail.
“He was saying he had nowhere else to go,” the man’s lawyer said.
“He was sleeping in the park. He was apologising rather than making any further threats.”
Since his arrest, the man had been remanded in custody for 19 days – an “unpleasant experience” including a period of 23-hour-a-day lockdown at Melbourne Remand Centre.
Informant Senior Constable Mark Muckley, of Narre Warren police, argued that the man, while on bail, was likely to re-attend the family home because he had limited ties to the rest of the community.
The man’s lawyer said the move to Adelaide “removes the realistic probability that he reoffends”.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen initially stated he never bailed people interstate.
He was at first sceptical that the court could even compel the payment of a surety from interstate.
Mr Vandersteen noted the man had family support, no prior offences and was “not certain” of being sentenced to further jail.
The bail conditions included complying with a full intervention order that barred contact with the man’s wife and children.
“You realise one phone call will lead you back to custody,” Mr Vandersteen warned.
“There is concern that you’re outside the jurisdiction. There is a benefit that you’re away from your wife and children.
“There are ways and means for us to extradite people in your position should you breach bail. But I accept you don’t want to go back to jail.”
The accused was bailed on a $1000 surety from his brother, who is unemployed, taking English language classes and vowed to deliver the accused to the Dandenong court for hearings.
The man was ordered to report to Hindley police in South Australia three times a week and not to leave Australia.
He is set to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 21 March.
