Jessie James Phillips: Man before Lismore Local Court on DV related charges

A Lismore man who is facing a number of serious domestic violence-related charges has told a court he has “grave concern” for his well being in prison as he asks to be let out on bail.

Mr Phillips is in custoday at Clarence Correctional Centre, Grafton. Photo: Tim Jarrett

A Lismore man who is facing a number of serious domestic violence-related charges has told a court he has “grave concern” for his wellbeing in the prison system due to Covid-19.

Jessie James Phillips is in custody at the Clarence Corrections Centre facing a long list of charges including driving recklessly in a police pursuit, destroying or damaging property, possessing or using a prohibited weapon without permit and possessing a prohibited drug.

He is also charged with failure to appear in accordance with a bail acknowledgment, two counts of stalking/intimidation with intent to cause fear, contravene a domestic violence-related AVO, and not complying with Covid-19 directions.

His solicitor Tess McLinden argued at a Monday bail review that Mr Phillips was “extremely vulnerable” due to his Indigenous heritage and the current Covid-19 crisis in the region.

She said mail sent to his family five weeks ago was not being received, and Mr Phillips had trouble accessing medication with “grave concern” for his future.

“Being an Aboriginal person, he is very spiritual,” she said.

“He tells me if he dies in jail his soul will be stuck in jail forever.”

These calls were opposed by the police prosecutor who said Mr Phillips’s bail was revoked after fresh offences were allegedly committed in Mid August – a time when Covid-19 lockdowns still “existed”.

He objected to the report on the impact of Covid-19 in prisons which he said is being used in other locations across NSW.

“So much less weight should be put on that (report),” he said,

He also said any issues with medication should be raised with NSW Corrections, something which Ms McLinden refuted.

“There’s been countless messages left and we just can’t get our inquiries met,” she said.

“Often our appointments are cancelled by Corrections on the day.”

She said bail conditions could be mitigated to reduce risk as Mr Phillips did not drive and his alleged victim would be on the other side of Lismore.

However, Magistrate Jeff Linden ultimately refused the request as an “unacceptable risk”.

He said the totality of the charges against Mr Phillips were “extremely serious”.

“Not being able to drive didn’t stop him from a police pursuit,” he said

He adjourned Mr Phillips’s charges of driving recklessly in a police pursuit, possessing or using a prohibited weapon without permit, possessing a prohibited drug, failure to appear in accordance with a bail acknowledgment, and one count of stalking/intimidation with intent to cause fear for a November 18 sentence.

The other charges were adjourned to the same date for hearing.