A HOMELESS man with mental health issues charged with harassing a shop manager has been remanded in custody.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Corey Bell, 42, of no fixed address, unsuccessfully applied for bail in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said Mr Bell was already on bail for other offences and had been found by police unfit to be interviewed.
He said there was a very high chance Mr Bell would continue to offend or fail to answer bail and he was considered a danger to members of the public.
Mr Bell was remanded in custody to appear in the Warrnambool court on Monday next week via a video link.
He has been charged with eight offences including burglary, theft, unlawful assault and unlawful assault with a weapon.
Constable Paul McGovern said that Mr Bell attended at Aussie Disposals on Tuesday last week after leaving items there the day before.
He was extremely aggressive and threatening to staff.
Staff at the Seanchai Irish pub contacted Warrnambool police later in the day after Mr Bell left two knives at the bar.
On Thursday Mr Bell went to the Telstra shop at Gateway Plaza while armed with 7.5cm scissors.
He made contact with the manager's chest while making an aggressive comment and the manager feared he was going to be more seriously assaulted.
Late that night Mr Bell was seen in the Deakin University grounds where security staff warned him to leave or risk being charged with trespass.
Just before 1am Friday Mr Bell was located in the grounds again by security.
At 10.15 Friday morning Mr Bell was back at the Telstra shop where he took an iPhone 6 case valued at $35.
The store manage approached Mr Bell, confronted him and took back the case.
Just after noon Mr Bell was back at Deakin University where he was found in possession of a box containing 53 bibles he had removed from the prayer room.
He was trying to hand out the bibles but there was no one there to receive them.
Staff at the BCF store also contacted police with concerns last week after Mr Bell bought a 10cm hunting knife.
Mr Bell was released from a mental health facility two weeks ago.
He said he bought the hunting knife to go hunting and claimed he was being persecuted because of his history of offending.
Mr Bell said there was no problem taking the bible because they were given out for free.
He said he had close links with the Salvation Army and could stay with a friend in Terang or at Framlingham.
Mr Bell said he had not used cannabis for eight weeks, his longest break for many years.