By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Victoria Police officer had become a “broken” man as he struggled to contain his violent, drug-addled son, a court has heard.
The 18-year-old son allegedly threatened to “kick the f*** out” of a police member as well as kicked doors and windows and threw wet toilet paper at a CCTV camera while held in Dandenong Police Station’s cells.
His parents, siblings and grandmother lived with him in “fear of harm” due to his unpredictable behaviour, police prosecutor Sergeant Lisa Aulich told a bail hearing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 30 October.
His family had done everything they could to help him, including putting a $15,000 deposit on a 28-day stay at an eco-rehab in Thailand’s mountains, the court heard.
His plane was booked to depart on Monday 6 November.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen questioned if the man had the will to rehabilitate.
“If he behaves badly at customs, they won’t let him on the plane.”
The man’s police officer father, who was to escort the man to Thailand, was “broken” by the experience.
Had he sought to keep the man at home, police would have intervened for the sake of his family’s safety, Sgt Aulich said.
But the father worried that if the man was bailed, he would be homeless until the flight to Thailand.
In arguing for bail, the lawyer said support services had offered the man a two-night stay at Prince Mark Motel, Doveton, in the interim.
“At the moment he can’t go home,” the lawyer said.
Police had been recently called to the home and arrested the man several times. He was twice taken to hospital.
At home, he had allegedly thrown a chair, smashed a glass and stabbed and punched holes in the wall.
His father allegedly removed the man from a park after the man expressed an urge to hit other park users.
On 28 October, the man grabbed a carving knife when his father refused to give him more than his prescribed Valium dose, Sgt Aulich said.
He allegedly threatened to stab any police that were called to the home. Then he allegedly threw down the knife, climbed on the roof and later kicked the back door off its hinges.
He was arrested and taken to Mornington Police Station where he kicked a door and threatened a bail justice, police said.
His lawyer told the court there had been “no intention” behind the man’s threats.
“He doesn’t know why he says what he says.”
His issues stemmed from serious abuse of ecstasy pills, Xanax and Valium – and more recently from withdrawing “cold turkey”, the lawyer said.
The man was appealing an assault case from a children’s court, but had no prior convictions, the court heard.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said he needed to know more about the man’s mental health and drug issues.
Youth Justice, Headspace and YSAS officers were also required to give the man intensive support, including accommodation.
“Things have got out of hand,” Mr Vandersteen said.
“They can’t contain it at home. The Prince Mark Hotel is out of the question.
“If I was to bail him to come back tomorrow, the chances of him reoffending are incredibly high.
“I have to make sure when you’re released, there’s no family violence.”
The man pleaded to Mr Vandersteen that police had struck his head against a wall and had threatened to tell inmates that his dad was a “cop” so they would bash the man.
Mr Vandersteen told him: “I’m not getting dragged into this.”
The man was remanded for a bail and family violence intervention order application at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court the next day.
