By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A 21-year-old Berwick man accused of drunkenly assaulting his family has been told he had little chance of being granted bail.
The man applied for bail at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 16 July after being remanded for slapping his sister and striking his father-in-law’s face during the weekend incident.
He had been having a good time, drinking with his brother at his mother’s house, he told the court. It had been the first time he’d had a drink for a while, he said.
“I lost myself in my drink.”
He tearfully added that he’d let down a lot of people, including the magistrate.
“Since the last time I seen you, I left the courtroom proud. I left the courtroom happy.
“In my head, I had it worked out what I was going to tell you.”
Four days earlier, he’d appeared at the same court on a family violence matter.
He was set to face other criminal matters on 10 August, and on a Corrections-supervised bail program – meaning he needed to prove exceptional circumstances for his release.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Adam Green said police would oppose any future bail application, including for an unacceptable risk of reoffending.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen told the man that his chances of getting bail was “very low” because he’d reoffended while out on bail.
“If you made an application for bail then I’d refuse it.”
The court made full intervention orders protecting both victims.
The man was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 31 July.
