Released detainee out on bail during alleged attack

A released immigration detainee was given bail for breaching visa conditions three days before – and on two occasions after – he allegedly stole groceries and threatened a police officer with a knife.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

A released immigration detainee was given bail after being charged with breaching visa conditions three days before – and on two occasions after – he allegedly stole groceries and threatened a police officer with a knife.

Sudanese-born Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad, who was among the cohort released from immigration detention after the High Court’s NZYQ decision, has been charged and bailed four times for breaching his visa conditions, including not complying with curfews or ensuring his ankle bracelet was in working order.

He was most recently released on bail in a hearing last Friday at the Melbourne Magistrates Court, despite it being opposed by commonwealth prosecutors.

This was just five days after being bailed at the same court on April 29, with his release on that day also opposed by the commonwealth, after Australian Federal Police charged him with failing to comply with curfew and monitoring rules between April 20 and 29.

During the time he was allegedly breaching his visa conditions, on April 21, Elawad was arrested and charged by Victoria Police for allegedly resisting a police officer, assaulting a police officer, possessing a dangerous weapon and shop theft.

He appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on the same day and was given bail.

“The charges relate to an incident at an Albert Street grocery store in Footscray where the man allegedly stole groceries and was reported to be carrying a knife about 9am,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

“(Police) members tracked the man to a nearby pub on Nicholson Street where he allegedly threatened officers with the knife.

“They drew a Taser and issued a warning, resulting in the peaceful arrest of the man without any injury to the public inside the hotel or (police) members.”

Three days earlier, on April 18, Elawad was bailed in the Melbourne court following charges of “failing to live at a listed place of residence and allowing his monitoring device to go flat”.

Elawad was first arrested for breaching his visa conditions in December after he allegedly broke his curfew and stole luggage from a traveller who was asleep at Melbourne Airport.

Elawad is due to face court for mention hearings on both his state and federal charges on May 22.

The Elawad case could build further pressure on the Albanese government over its handling of the implications of the NZYQ verdict, after it was last week revealed that a released detainee allegedly bashed Perth grandmother Ninette Simons.

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese last week deflected blame for the Perth incident by arguing it was a mistake for the Community Protection Board to recommend against monitoring the accused man with an ankle bracelet.

However, the Prime Minister’s argument was undermined after Immigration Minister Andrew Giles admitted his own delegate signed off on the removal of the ankle bracelet.

The Australian last week revealed the convicted drug offender who allegedly bashed Ms Simons, Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, broke his curfew conditions just one minute after they were imposed on him, and went on to ignore restrictions on his movements a further five times.

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said Mr Giles needed to show more transparency on the issue.

“Where is Andrew Giles? Why is he continuing to hide? What is he hiding? We need him to do a full press conference and reassure the Australian people about their safety and update them on how many of the 152 hardened criminals are wearing ankle bracelets,” Mr Tehan said.

“We need to know he has some semblance of understanding of how big a risk this debacle is to safety in the Australian com­munity.

“If he is not prepared to do that, then the Prime Minister has to sack him.

Surely this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”