Zane Alchin makes third bail bid for serious domestic violence charges

A south Sydney man has made a third bid for bail over allegations he choked, headbutted and spat on his girlfriend. Find out why a magistrate labelled him “jealous” and “controlling”.

Zane Alchin will have to wait eight more months until he can defend 16 serious domestic violence allegations. File picture: John Grainger

A man who described himself as a “complete psychopath” to his girlfriend will spend another eight months behind bars awaiting his day in court.

Zane Alchin, 32, appeared at Sutherland Local Court on Friday to defend 16 charges of serious domestic violence against his former girlfriend, but his case was delayed.

The court heard police had obtained new evidence and statements while witnesses were not present, so the hearing was rescheduled to July 17 and 18.

Therefore, Alchin’s lawyer Wayne Russell made a bail application noting his client would need to wait eight more months on remand before the next hearing date.

Zane Alchin arrives at the Downing Centre court in Sydney in 2016.

A police statement of facts said Alchin, who lives in Caringbah, was in a romantic relationship with the 29-year-old woman in 2021 and 2022.

The court heard Alchin allegedly choked, spat, headbutted and dragged the woman while they were together.

The allegations involved Alchin dumping an ice cream over her head and causing bruising to her arms.

Alchin allegedly choked the woman in one incident after he looked through old photos on her phone.

He allegedly put his hands around her throat, lifted her body off the ground and moved her against the wall.

She was allegedly unable to breathe and thought he would break her jaw before Alchin spat on her and let her go.

Later that night, Alchin allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and got on top of her, and she could not breathe.

The woman allegedly screamed, and her neighbour came to the door, and Alchin got off.

Zane Alchin has been convicted of previous domestic violence offences and jailed.

In other allegations, he said he would take her to Kurnell and “kill” her.

In a text message Alchin allegedly sent, he told her, “I’m a complete psychopath”.

The court heard Alchin would allegedly call from a no caller ID number and threaten to kill the woman.

Alchin allegedly left 230 voicemails where he threatened the woman, used degrading language and said he would go to her house or see her in public.

Alchin was arrested on July 5 and charged with eight counts of common assault, two counts of intentionally choking, two counts of intimidation, assault causing actual bodily harm, damaging property and threatening to kill.

Alchin applied for bail the day after he was arrested and again two weeks later.

Zane Alchin will reappeared in Sutherland Local Court next July for his hearing after he pleaded not guilty to 16 domestic violence charges.

Magistrate Jayeann Carney said the alleged facts described Alchin as “jealous” and “controlling”.

She labelled Alchin’s alleged offending as “coercive control” and said there was an “escalation in obsessive behaviour”.

The police prosecutor said the new evidence of text messages, witnesses and videos that had come to light supported the alleged victim’s claims.

He also noted the seriousness of the allegations, which included a “concerning situation unfolding over several months in the once-romantic relationship that had a cycle of violence”.

Mr Russell noted the delay in proceedings and said his client continued to have the support of his family and friends.

He said that his client would live with a friend in her Panania home, which was not close to where the alleged victim lived, abide by a night-time curfew, and return to his work as a joinery apprentice.

Magistrate Carney refused to grant Alchin bail citing his history of domestic violence convictions, that he was on parole at the time, and she added she was concerned for the alleged victim’s safety.