Alleged Avalon Airshow protester Barry Jessup wants travel ban lifted

An alleged Avalon Airshow protester who was on bail for a similar offence at the time of his arrest has pleaded with a magistrate to let him go home to Tasmania.

Barry Jessup, left, at the Avalon Airshow protest. Picture: Instagram/DisruptWars

A man arrested at a protest outside the Avalon Airshow has asked a magistrate for permission to travel interstate, despite a condition of his bail banning him from leaving Victoria.

Barry Jessup, 69, fronted the Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday for a brief hearing to apply for his bail to be varied.

Mr Jessup was arrested at a protest outside the Avalon Airshow on March 28 and charged with criminal damage and committing an indictable offence on bail.

No details of his alleged offending were aired in court.

Protesters locked themselves to a rental truck which was parked across a road near the event, blocking attendees from entering.

Police opposed Mr Jessup’s application, saying he was a “flight risk”.

The court heard he had been granted bail at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on March 12 for alleged political protest action.

Magistrate Simon Guthrie said the alleged offending at the airshow happened less than two weeks later on March 28.

He was granted bail again on the conditions to not block a roadway, to not go near the site of the airshow and to not leave Victoria.

Mr Jessup, wearing a dark suit and blue tie, told the court he was living with his son in Victoria but his home was in Tasmania.

He said he has Parkinson’s disease and regularly travels over to the mainland to receive treatment.

“I have many reasons for coming and going and I have no desire to make myself a fugitive in Victoria,” he said.

“I’m slowly becoming a resident in Victoria.”

Mr Jessup told the court he “didn’t read his bail conditions thoroughly enough”.

“That is what troubles me,” Mr Guthrie replied.

“I don’t know your history in Victoria with respect to failing to answer bail, which is something the court would need to take into account.”

Mr Guthrie gave Mr Jessup the option to have his application refused or the matter could be adjourned for his son to attend court and give evidence to a magistrate, which he strongly recommended.

“You might want to strengthen your application by getting some evidence from your son about the address where you’re living,” Mr Guthrie said.

“I suggest you bring your son back to court to assist.

“I don’t have enough evidence at the moment (to vary bail).”

The matter was adjourned to Mr Jessup’s next court date on April 29.

Originally published as Alleged Avalon Airshow protester Barry Jessup wants travel ban lifted