Man, 47, fronts Christies Beach Magistrates Court after horrific assault allegations

A day after being released from jail, a man allegedly poured acetone on a woman and tried to set her on fire – but his lawyer claims the alleged victim has “serious credibility issues”.

A man from Adelaide’s southern suburbs will spend the next four months behind bars on remand after he bashed – then tried to set on fire – the woman who had picked him up from prison, a court has heard.

The 47-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court last Thursday via video link charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of causing serious harm. He is yet to enter any pleas.

The man had just been released from prison when the alleged offences occurred.

A police prosecutor told the court the man had been released on bail to live with the alleged victim after previous charges were withdrawn.

He had then committed the new alleged offences over the next six days, including one on the

same day he walked out of jail, the court was told.

“She picks him up from prison and takes him home – the first incident occurs that day when they get home,” the prosecutor said.

“She’s on the toilet and he has hit her on the head with such force that her head has hit the wall, leaving a dent.

“During that week, she was laying in bed and he’s thrown acetone over her and then tried to set it alight.

“It sets the bed on fire instead of her – she’s gone and hid in the corner and then he’s continued to hit her once the fire’s been put out.

“The prosecution is opposed to all forms of bail.”

Defence counsel for the man made an application for bail, submitting the alleged victim had “serious credibility issues”.

“What I understand is that the complainant has a significant history herself,” they said.

“She’s a known drug addict, has convictions for trafficking, influencing witnesses … she has an extensive history.

“She collected him of her own volition from Yatala after he was released – after the charges were withdrawn – and I’m instructed they spent one night together.

She had ample opportunity over those five nights to go to the authorities – there’s no allegation she was kept imprisoned or had her phone stolen.

“The thrust of this bail application is that there’s serious credibility issues from the complainant.”

Magistrate Kylie Schulz denied the man bail, saying the alleged offences were “very serious and violent”.

He will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in January.

Originally published as Man, 47, fronts Christies Beach Magistrates Court after horrific assault allegations