A GUNNEDAH man has been denied bail, accused of attacking a woman in front of police and attempting to set fire to a house.
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Leon Condron is accused of a raft of offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and attempted arson, after a violent confrontation in Gunnedah last week.
Aboriginal Legal Service solicitor Rebecca Witchard told Tamworth Local Court Condron was pleading not guilty to all charges.
She said the charge of damaging property by fire "can't be made out on the fact sheet".
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"There's no fire," she told the court, arguing it was a weak case.
"There was the pouring of the petrol."
Condron is accused of pouring petrol around the Gunnedah house, and threatening and assaulting two women who were known to him, on October 29. He's also accused of being armed with a knife.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Baillie said Condron was an unacceptable risk of fleeing and committing further serious offences if released on bail.
He said the complainant needed protection because "there was some threats made as well".
He told the court it was a "strong prosecution case" - "some of the offences, in particular, because they occurred in front of the police".
"A domestic violence video was obtained [and] police witnessed some of the action."
The court was told Condron was already on an intensive corrections order (ICO) - a community-based jail sentence.
Miss Witchard said Condron was already wearing "an electric monitoring bracelet" and any further bail conditions imposed could be monitored by authorities.
She submitted he would reside at a hotel in Tamworth under a curfew; report to police daily; abstain from drugs and alcohol; and not enter Gunnedah unless for court or medical appointments.
Sergeant Baillie said the conditions offered did not "ameliorate the risk".
"His record of compliance, let's face it - he's on an ICO ... there's been non-compliance and non-appearance [in the past]," he told the court.
Magistrate Julie Soars acknowledged Condron was already on an ICO and a good behaviour bond; that the "facts on the assault ABH occurred in the presence of police"; and that it was a "weak case" on the arson charge.
She said Condron was already subject to monitoring with an electronic bracelet but, balanced with his record, "I can't be satisfied that the bail conditions proposed reduce the risk".
"I have to refuse bail," she said, adjourning the case back to Gunnedah.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
