Ballarat tradesmen allegedly hung tied-up apprentice from roof

Three tradesmen accused of endangering the life of an apprentice while working at a Ballarat business hung the tied-up teenager from a roof, a court has heard.

Liam Loftus, Benjamin Foy, and Aaron Devereux are charged with endangering the life of a teenage apprentice in Ballarat.

Three tradesmen accused of workplace bullying allegedly tied up a teenage apprentice and hung him from a roof, a court has heard.

Liam Loftus, 25, Aaron Devereux, 23, and Benjamin Foy, 30, have all been accused of endangering the life of the apprentice while employed at Celsius Heating and Cooling in Ballarat in 2022 and early 2023.

Mr Foy and Mr Devereux have also been charged with stalking.

At Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, police prosecutors said they would attempt to prove mental harm was done to the teen.

But defence lawyer David Tamanika said he had concerns a psychologist would be used to prove factual matters in dispute by asserting the teenager had certain mental health issues and that therefore the actions bringing them about must have been performed as described by the apprentice.

He said a preliminary letter from the apprentice’s psychologist was “almost conclusive” about factual occurrences, despite there being elements to the allegations which his client denied.

But police said the psychologist would be called to prove only that mental harm was done, not that the behaviour causing it necessarily occurred.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski said that it was “pretty straightforward” and a “matter of logic” that a psychologist’s subjective report would not, by definition, prove any preceding factual matters to the court.

“Psychologists aren’t detectives,” he said.

It is expected that the teenager’s girlfriend and mother could also be called to the stand.

The court heard Snapchat videos and text messages would form part of the prosecution’s evidence.

Mr Tamanika referred to an allegation the accused men tied up the apprentice and hung him from a roof on February 15, 2023.

He said that while they did not deny the incident occurred, “there was acquiescence” by the apprentice and the behaviour was engaged in “as a laugh” with his participation.

Mr Loftus, who has not been charged with stalking, will be seeking a diversion at a hearing in August.

Mr Foy and Mr Devereux will return to court in October.