John Balafas: Bondi doctor charged with threatening a woman with an axe breaks bail

A disgraced eastern suburbs doctor charged with punching a woman in the face and threatening her with an axe has returned to court after being arrested for a fourth time in 11 months.

Bondi GP John Balafas was charged with assault and violence matters in February 2022.

A disgraced ex-doctor who admitted to threatening a woman with an axe and punching her in a shocking attack has been arrested 42 hours after he was granted bail on strict conditions earlier this week.

In an embarrassing court snafu, a magistrate concluded conflicting bail conditions meant the eastern suburbs man breached his bail by getting a coffee with his elderly dad at a local shopping centre.

The matter of whether Balafas, of Bondi, would be released on bail ahead of his next court appearance in February was heard on Friday at Waverley Local Court.

The 47-year-old medical professional is awaiting sentencing for a series of violent offences – including intimidating a woman by approaching her with an axe which he slammed down on a table between them.

Balafas has been charged with several violent attacks over the past 11 months

Police have alleged the former doctor hit the woman with a “big punch” in another incident nine months later, breaching an apprehended violence order put in place in February 2022 to protect the woman and forbidding him from contacting or approaching her.

In October, Balafas was arrested for allegedly breaching the conditions of the AVO multiple times.

Police alleged he tried to avoid police detection by using surreptitious means such as walkie talkies and encrypted messaging platforms to communicate with the woman.

All told, the eastern suburbs man has been arrested a total of four times and granted bail three in the past 11 months.

The matter was heard at Waverley local court

On Friday, Waverley Court heard Balafas, who was released from police remand only days earlier, visited Edgecliff Centre shops with his dad because he wanted to pick up a SIM card and was required to report to Waverley police station.

Balafas’ lawyer Mr Michael Hempsall claimed it was a failing of the courts, the police and his legal representation that the mistake had not been picked up.

“It slipped through. It is very unsatisfactory,” Mr Hempsall said.

Magistrate Clare Farnan told the court the breach of bail was “a very serious matter.”

“This is a gentleman who’s put an axe to someone,” Ms Farnan said.

Balafas was released on new bail conditions ahead of his next court appearance on February 23

However she agreed the nature of the breach wasn’t enough to keep him in police custody.

“I accept Mr Balafas should be given another chance to comply with his bail,” Ms Farnan told the court, though she admitted she had “some hesitation,”

Magistrate Clare Farnan granted Balafas bail on charges of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, stalk and intimidation with the intent to cause fear and breaching an AVO.

Of several previous bail orders placed on Balafas, one stated he could not leave his home for any reason while others stated he must leave to report to police, or to get legal advice or medical attention.

Ms Farnan cancelled previous conditions with a new bail that ordered Balafas to report to Bondi police station daily, not enter an international airport and not contact the complainant.

Balafas will return to court on February 23.