THE strict enforcement of bail laws has led to two men being remanded in custody.
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Warrnambool magistrate Peter Mellas refused the bail applications, with one man only charged with just breaching intervention orders by being with a protected woman and therefore breaching bail conditions.
Lachlan Fedele, 19, of Warrnambool’s Glasgow Street, was stunned when he was remanded in custody until his next court hearing in Frankston court on April 10.
“That’s unbelievable your honour, it’s not right,” he said.
Mr Fedele said he had an intellectual disability, knew he had technically breached the law by being with the woman last week but was going to Melbourne to sort out his legal issues.
The crack down on bail has led to an influx of prisoners at police station cells across the state, with cells at Warrnambool, Geelong and Ballarat operating at near or above maximum capacity.
Hamilton’s Ben Khawli, 31, of Norma Avenue, was also denied bail on Friday. He was charged with an unlawful assault, breaching an intervention order and having a homemade firearm.
Police claim he has been involved in a number of family violence incidents, damaged property and he slapped a woman’s face on Thursday last week.
Officers arrested him and found one gram of cannabis and a handmade metal firearm, two bullets and cannabis seeds.
Mr Khawli told police he slapped the woman as hard as he could. Mr Mellas denied bail until at least March 29, saying it was a strong case and conditions could not be put in place to reduce the chance of offending.