By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN accused of threatening his Dandenong South ex-partner by lighting the spray from an aerosol can near her face has been refused bail.
The man had been on appeal bail at the time after being sentenced to four months’ jail on 24 August for family violence intervention order breaches against the victim.
Police informant Senior Constable Nathaniel Gilmore told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday (31 August) that the man was found intoxicated outside the victim’s home one evening last week.
He had been banned under an intervention order from being within 200 metres of the victim’s address if he was alcohol affected.
Sen Const Gilmore said the accused admitted drinking three bottles of 18 per cent alcohol “shaken premium smoothie mix”.
The man told police he was accustomed to drinking a bottle of bourbon a day.
Earlier that day at 1am, the man allegedly visited the address and asked the victim to accompany him to a Dandenong bottle shop to buy two bottles of alcohol.
After initially asking him to leave, she complied and drank with him on the banks of Dandenong Creek.
The court was told the man became frustrated with his ex-partner and punched the right side of her head.
She was followed home by him despite telling the man to leave.
At her home, he picked up an aerosol can and lit a flame near her face.
The victim alleged she could feel heat from the fire but was protected from injury by her cap.
The man then left and was arrested by police when he returned that evening.
Sen Const Gilmore said the man’s mother was happy to have him stay with her in Mulgrave but “it’s her belief that … there’s no doubt he’d commit further offences”.
He told the court the man took advantage of the victim’s acquired brain injury.
Defence lawyer Bernard Keating conceded his client had a “significant history” of family violence towards the victim.
Mr Keating said there was evidence the man was drunk near the victim’s home but denied the other allegations – which were similar to others yet to be heard at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court.
“He denies he was with the victim at all. There doesn’t seem to be any supportive evidence for those allegations.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted the man had previously breached bail, community corrections and intervention orders.
“I can’t see anything here at all that he’s complied with.”
Mr Vandersteen imposed a full intervention order and refused bail because of the man’s persistent breaching of intervention orders against the victim “not over days but over years”.
The man was remanded in custody to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 21 September.
