By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A CRANBOURNE North man will spend at least a week in custody after allegedly threatening to kill his estranged wife soon after being arrested for breaching an intervention order.
The car mechanic had moved out of the family home from his wife of 25 years in April, a Dandenong Magistrates’ Court bail hearing was told on 11 October.
About 7pm on 10 October, the man breached the order when he entered the house and helped himself to a beer.
He tried to engage the woman in conversation and refused requests to leave.
When police arrived, he was asleep in his vehicle parked on the nature strip.
Upon his arrest, he told police in an interview that the intervention order was “bulls***”, police informant First Constable Monique Oldfield told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court.
“It’s supposed to bring family together but it really doesn’t,” the accused allegedly told police.
About 1.30am on 11 October – 30 minutes after being released by police – the man sent a flurry of abusive text messages to the victim telling her she was “going to die in your sleep, b****” and “I am on my way”.
Later that morning, the accused was found asleep in his car in the victim’s driveway and again arrested by police.
First Const Oldfield told the court later that day that the accused claimed he intended to commit suicide there.
In his bail application, the accused told the court he’d felt depressed in recent weeks and had no intention to harm the victim.
“I’m quite concerned about my mental health and I’m concerned to get back to work because I’ll lose my job – which will put my stress on me,” the accused told the court.
His charges included breaching an intervention order, breaching bail, threatening to kill and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
He had pleaded guilty to assaulting and contravening an intervention order against the same victim at the court in August.
Magistrate Pauline Spencer refused bail due to the applicant’s risk of re-offending.
“(The victim) needs to expect the intervention order is there to protect her.
“I can’t have any confidence that you will follow it.”
The applicant was remanded in custody to appear at the court on 19 October.
For crisis support, call beyondblue on 1300 224 636, or Lifeline on 131 114.
