A Supreme Court justice has refused to bail a repeat family violence offender who allegedly told police he had grown cannabis in his backyard for seven years.
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The 51-year-old Hamilton man, who cannot be named because that would identify the victim, appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria charged with serious family violence offending and drug offences.
The man applied for bail to the higher court after multiple unsuccessful attempts in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court.
But that application also failed after Justice Andrew Tinney found the man was an unacceptable risk of reoffending and endangering the victim.
Justice Tinney said the man had an extensive criminal history dating back to 1986 and was the alleged perpetrator in 17 family violence intervention orders.
He said the victim was in fear of the man being released from custody and "was concerned he would carry out his threats to find and kill her".
Justice Tinney said he accepted the man had "medical issues" which had seen him hospitalised five times since being in custody.
But, the justice said there was "no reason to suppose the applicant will not continue to receive appropriate medical treatment (in custody)."
In a previous bail application, a police officer told the court there was no evidence of the man's ill health, stating the accused often began "coughing and wheezing when something doesn't go his way".
The man was refused bail and remanded in custody.
The alleged offending related to a number of incidents when the man stalked, harassed and threatened his former partner.
On one occasion he allegedly held a pair of scissors 30 centimetres from the victim's face and threatened to slit her throat.
He is also accused of threatening to throw a petrol bomb through the victim's window, and calling her 37 times in a four-hour period, despite a court order prohibiting him from contacting her.
The man was arrested in February this year and while in police presence, he made threats towards the victim and told officers: "You won't be able to protect her once I get out".
He is also accused of cultivating cannabis after police allegedly located 10 cannabis plants in his backyard.
He allegedly told police he had grown the plants for seven years and they were for medical purposes.
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