By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A convicted family violence offender accused of threatening a step-brother with a machete in Noble Park has been refused bail.
The 31-year-old Noble Park man indicated he would fight charges including breaching an intervention order, unlawful assault and heroin possession at a Dandenong Magistrates’ Court hearing on 26 September.
According to a police summary, the man armed himself with a machete and told the complainant not to call the police.
He was then allegedly found in possession of heroin, according to the charge sheet.
Defence lawyer Emma Strugnell told the court a police summary described the accused swinging the machete in the complainant’s direction at home on 20 September but “there’s no indication of any verbal threats directly”.
Ms Strugnell said it was unclear whether the weapon was a machete or a kitchen knife. “It’s not located on him later.”
She submitted that the man – who had an intellectual disability and severe epilepsy – could be bailed to live with his Springvale South godmother.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted the godmother, while under cross-examination, had “no idea” why the applicant was in custody.
Mr Vandersteen said he was concerned the applicant had been previously found guilty of family violence involving either a machete or a knife.
“He has assaulted nearly every family member since 2008.”
Mr Vandersteen described a 2008 incident in which the man punched his mother in the face, took hold of a knife and threatened her.
In 2012, the man threw a coffee cup against a TV screen and punched another relative to the face.
The man, while serving a community corrections order, has also previously threatened the step-brother with a knife in December.
For that offence, he was put on a good behaviour bond.
The applicant’s compliance with the re-confirmed community corrections order was described as “mixed”.
Mr Vandersteen said he refused bail because of the seriousness of the charges, and no proper supports to manage the man’s mental health, disability and drug use.
He said the “supports” on the applicant’s community corrections order were not working.
“Without that structure or support in place, you would be a risk of re-offending.
“It is a concern that each family violence incident includes an allegation of you being in possession of either a knife or a machete.”
A full intervention order protecting the step-brother was extended to 26 September 2017.
The accused will next appear in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 5 October.
