Alleged Katherine murderer Braden Jentian put on suicide watch after 22-year-old woman’s death
A man arrested after allegedly murdering his 22-year-old partner has been put on a high risk watch list in Darwin Correctional Centre.
Police & Courts
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An alleged murderer is being kept on suicide watch after a young woman’s body was found on the outskirts of Katherine in a suspected domestic violence homicide.
Braden Jentian appeared in Katherine Local Court on Friday charged with the murder of a 22-year-old woman five days earlier.
NT Police alleged the 36-year-old was found in a distressed state on O’Shea Terrace around 9.10pm Monday, September 30 and his 22-year-old partner was found nearby.
Despite efforts to save her, she died a short time later.
Mr Jentian was taken into custody on Tuesday, the same day he was due to appear in the Barunga Circuit Court over an unrelated assault charge.
His lawyer told the bush court judge Mr Jentian was unable to attend as he was in police custody in Katherine.
On Friday Mr Jentian’s family members, including children, watched from the courtroom gallery as he appeared before Judge John McBride.
His defence lawyer Claire Porter asked for a preliminary examination mention over the murder charge as well as two other files, and the matter was adjourned to November 19.
Mr Jentian also faces charges over two distinct alleged aggravated assault incidents in July and August, as well as recklessly endangering serious harm.
All of his files were adjourned for a plea or mention in November.
Ms Porter asked for her client to be marked “at risk” as he entered Darwin Correctional Centre, 315km from the Katherine cells he had been spent the past 80 hours in.
“I understand that police at the watch-house have been doing 15 minute checks on him up until this point,” she said.
“It would be both a risk of him self harming, but also a risk of other prisoners harming Mr Jentian.”
She said she would be writing to the Holtze prison to follow those concerns up.
Mr Jentian was formally refused bail, and remanded until November.
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