Cronulla’s Simon Burcher makes bail bid after allegedly assaulting business colleague

A father-of-three from the Shire allegedly broke into his former business colleague house and seriously assaulted him with a mallet during a drug-induced psychosis, a court heard.

Simon Burcher has been granted bail after he allegedly broke in to his former business partner’s house and assaulted him. Picture: Instagram

A prominent pool builder from Sydney’s south allegedly broke into his former business colleague’s house and seriously assaulted him during a drug-induced psychosis after their relationship soured, a court heard.

Simon Burcher was granted bail in the Supreme Court on Wednesday after he allegedly went to his former associate’s Bellevue Hills home following a business dispute.

Police allege he used a mallet and assaulted the man while suffering a drug-induced psychotic episode earlier this year.

Police will allege the complainant recognised Burcher immediately and “deflected his blows” and “screamed at the top of his lungs” which made Burcher, who was not wearing his usual work clothes, to withdraw. The details of the man’s injuries were not detailed in court.

A Crown prosecutor submitted the alleged victim had lent Burcher a large sum of money as capital for his business Burcher Pools – which he had owned and operated for the past 23 years – and the business relationship then “soured”.

Burcher applied for bail in Supreme Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

The Crown alleged Burcher intended to inflict “grievous bodily harm or worse” on his former business colleague in a “premeditated and planned” attack.

“The bizarreness or weirdness does not detract from the seriousness of the offence,” he said.

“It was gravely serious and it could have ended catastrophically for the complainant.”

The court heard the case against Burcher was “remarkably strong” with his immediate recognition, identification evidence including of his commercially-marked car, an immediate complaint from the alleged victim, eye witnesses, identification of a backpack, a mallet found in the ute and CCTV.

Burcher was charged with aggravated break and enter, using an offensive weapon to commit an indictable offence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation.

Defence barrister Arjun Chhabra conceded full time custody was not inevitable but was “far more likely than not” if Burcher was convicted.

The court heard Burcher’s mental health had been in decline for the six months prior to the incident, with his wife indicating he had been using amphetamine and had untreated, but not formally diagnosed, ADHD.

The court heard Burcher – who has three daughters – has undergone drug treatment while in custody and was now clean, and he needed to access mental health treatment.

Mr Chhabra said the pool business had a good reputation based on Burcher’s name, and he needed to be at liberty to run it given that was the main financial income of the household.

The court heard Burcher needed to be at liberty because his mother had died while he was in custody on remand, and the family were yet to make funeral arrangements; adding his father was also terminally ill, and Burcher wanted to be there to support him in his dying days.

Mr Chhabra also noted Burcher had a limited criminal record and was arrested at hospital while waiting for urgent surgery, which did not proceed.

Burcher was granted bail to live at his Cronulla home, abide by a curfew unless to report to police, attend legal conference, attend psychological or medical appointments, carry out his business, and attend his mother’s funeral and his father’s care.

He must not take illegal drugs, get a mental health plan, not contact the alleged victim nor enter the suburb of Bellevue Hill. He can also only use one mobile phone and have $30,000 deposited as surety.