Mildura man Dale Kerr allegedly punches elderly man, throws rocks at woman after being asked to leave unit
A Mildura man allegedly punched an elderly man and hurled rocks at a fleeing woman after being asked to leave a unit, a court has heard.
Mildura
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A Mildura man allegedly punched an elderly man in the face and pelted a frightened woman with rocks after being told he wasn’t welcome at a unit, a court has heard.
Dale Kerr fronted Mildura Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with multiple offences relating to alleged violent and drug-related incidents over the past twelve months.
The court heard on March 13, Mr Kerr allegedly refused repeated requests from the occupant of a unit to leave the property.
When confronted by a 73-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, Mr Kerr allegedly emerged aggressively, yelling and screaming.
The court heard Mr Kerr was accused of punching the elderly man twice in the face.
Police alleged he briefly left the scene but returned minutes later brandishing a garden stake threateningly at several people present, before leaving again.
Moments later, as the elderly woman attempted to drive away, Mr Kerr allegedly threw rocks at her head.
The court also heard that, in a separate incident last September, police arrested Mr Kerr and allegedly found him carrying a sheet of oxycodone tablets not prescribed to him.
Police claimed Mr Kerr said someone had handed him the pills and said he didn’t know what they were.
On another occasion, Mr Kerr allegedly forced his way into a friend’s home and began rifling through her belongings, demanding drugs or money.
A struggle allegedly followed when the woman refused, ultimately forcing Mr Kerr out.
The court heard he allegedly threatened to damage the property and shattered a window in the spare bedroom.
Police alleged Mr Kerr was regularly uncooperative or considered unfit for police interviews upon his arrests.
His lawyer Sasha Leon Molina said her client suffered from poor hearing and was sleeping rough, with limited family support in Mildura.
She described her instructions from Mr Kerr as “very basic”.
Magistrate Megan Aumair initially stood the matter down so Mr Kerr could be assessed for a Community Corrections Order (CCO).
He was deemed unsuitable, prompting Ms Aumair to request another assessment through the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP), scheduled for Tuesday.
“I am not going to just accept what I have read here today,” Ms Aumair said.
“We have got to keep trying. That’s why I am going to have him assessed by CISP. I’m not sure how much of this offending is behavioural or a medical matter,” she said.
Mr Kerr will next appear before the court on Tuesday after he has been assessed for CISP.
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