Michael Stone seeks bail variation over assault and armed intimidation charges

A man accused of threatening a woman with a knife and a crossbow in Sydney’s southwest has sought leniency from a magistrate based on his stomach issues, a court has heard.

A Sydney southwest man facing assault and intimidation charges appealed for leniency based on health concerns at Campbelltown Local Court. Picture: Dylan Arvela

A southwest Sydney man accused of threatening to stab a woman in the heart while pointing a knife at her, has made a bid to reduce his reporting to police, a court has heard.

Glenfield man Michael Stone was excused from attending Campbelltown Local Court on Monday due to his poor health. He has pleaded not guilty to multiple violent offences.

Stone will defend against charges of committing an indictable offence with a crossbow, using an offensive weapon intending to commit an indictable offence, four counts of intimidation and two counts of assault.

He pleaded guilty to intimidating a woman, destroying her TV and PlayStation console and breaching an apprehended violence order earlier this year.

The Glenfield man spent four months in custody before he was released on bail in April. Since then he has been reporting to police daily.

In court, defence lawyer George Matthews sought to reduce reporting to once a week on the basis of his client’s “serious health issues”.

Mr Matthews tendered a referral letter from a medical practitioner, which sent Stone to attend Liverpool hospital after experiencing “over a week of abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting”.

He further argued that his client required urgent hospital treatment due to a “possible pancreas cancer diagnosis”, which would impact Stone’s ability to report daily.

Michael Stone, 48, requested a reduction to his daily reporting on the basis of treatment he was sent for at Liverpool Hospital after experiencing “over a week of abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting”.

Magistrate Peter Thompson dismissed the argument in court, finding no reference of health concerns beyond “a week of diarrhoea” in the letter submitted.

Mr Thompson said Stone’s drug and alcohol abuse could have also impacted his “abdominal pains” and did not excuse the “objective seriousness” of the alleged offences.

“He pointed a knife at the complainant and said ‘do you want me to put this through your heart?” Mr Thompson read from the facts tendered to court by police.

Mr Thompson acknowledged “no one is expected to report when they are sick”, but any issues with compliance would be avoided if documentation is provided.

Stone will appear at Campbelltown Local Court in January next year for a hearing over his remaining assault charges.