Tweed Heads man Dean Kafoa denied bail ahead of upcoming trial to defend Ballina siege allegations
A Tweed Heads man will go to trial to fight allegations he holed up in a Ballina motel and held a woman and child at knifepoint for six hours.
Lismore
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A Tweed Heads man will go to trial to fight allegations he holed up in a Ballina motel and held a woman and child at knifepoint for six hours.
Dean Kafoa, 39, appeared via audio visual link before Judge Craig Everson in Lismore District Court on Monday.
He was formally arraigned and pleaded not guilty to taking or detaining a person with an intent to obtain advantage and causing actual bodily harm.
He also pleaded not guilty to being armed with an intent to commit an indictable offence, and threatening injury to a person with an intent to prevent lawful detention.
Kafoa will also argue against related allegations of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contravening a prohibition or restriction in an apprehended violence order, and a backup charge of stalking and intimidation with an intent to cause fear of physical or mental harm.
Police allege he held the woman hostage during a six-hour siege at the Homestead Motel on Cherry St, Ballina on July 19 last year.
Kafoa was armed with a knife during the siege and threatened the woman and two officers, police allege.
After receiving a call of concern for welfare about 11.15am police attended the Homestead Motel on Cherry St in Ballina where Kafoa was allegedly holding a 29-year-old woman and a three-year-old boy against their will.
The woman and child are known to the man, according to police.
The operation involved tactical police, police negotiators, NSW paramedics, and Fire and Rescue.
Police taped off Hamilton Lane near the Ballina Homestead Motel and also taped off the lane and the driveway.
Officers located the motel unit and – with assistance from specialist police – arrested Kafoa at 5pm.
Kafoa was refused bail and is scheduled for a readiness hearing on December 19.
A trial date has been set for February 16.
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