Dover Gardens: Accused home invaders denied bail after allegedly punching man in attack

Four men have asked a court to bail them after allegedly breaking into a Dover Gardens home and assaulting a man.

A man was assaulted during a violent home invasion at Dover Gardens on Thursday morning. Picture: Caleb Bond

Four men accused of breaking into a Dover Gardens home and assaulting an occupant have been denied bail.

Magistrate Brett Dixon denied home detention bail requests for Nathan Lisle Robert Boyce, 34; Ian John Arthur Martin, 27; Irvine Lesley Wanganeen, 25 and 21-year-old Lochlan Dwayne Appleton on Friday.

The Christies Beach Magistrates Court heard the four men had allegedly broken into a Dover Gardens home while the male and female occupant were sleeping in the early hours of Thursday morning.

“She was woken by loud banging, told to call police and while on the phone could hear that the people managed to gain entry to the house,” a police prosecutor told the court.

“In the lounge room she could hear someone was kicking at the door while (her partner) was pushing against it trying to prevent them from getting in.

Four men have been arrested following a violent home invasion at Dover Gardens. Picture: Peter Caldicott/7NEWS Adelaide.

“They got in, demanded car keys and pointed a machete at her and her partner.

“One of the males who was very large … hit her partner with the torch and he fell backwards.”

When police arrived at the property, the four men fled through the back door and were later caught hiding on nearby roofs and in backyards close by.

The court heard one of the men was also found to be in possession of 15 grams of cocaine.

The four men are charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass, theft with force, aggravated assault and property damage.

Mr Dixon said despite all four men applying for home detention at their homes on the Yorke Peninsula – in Moonta, Kadina and Wallaroo Mines – he was not satisfied that the distance amounted to the special circumstances required to approve bail.

“This isn’t a family violence matter, it’s not alleged (they) had a grudge against this particular person and we don’t know why that house was chosen,” he said.

“There are houses in Wallaroo.

“In my view, lack of youth, prior convictions, living with your parents some distance from the location of the incident and employment neither alone or in combination amount to special circumstances.”

The accused will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court in July.