The ACT Magistrates Court is considering whether to grant bail to an 18-year-old man accused of assaulting two boys at Belconnen Mall in Canberra. Police allege he approached the children, aged two and four, knocked both to the ground and kicked one of them.
One of the boys was taken to hospital for treatment. The man faces charges of common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm and has remained in custody since his arrest, according to ABC News.
Prosecutor James Melloy told the court police had recorded more than 40 “involvements” with the man since 2024. He said these included incidents in which the man was accused of assaulting young children and threatening staff at a primary school.
Mr Melloy argued the man should remain in custody because of the risk to the community. He said the jail was the only place where the accused could be monitored continuously and restrained if necessary, adding that there was no evidence his needs were not being met there.
The man has a serious intellectual impairment. His legal aid lawyer, Gillian Bilton, said he could live with his parents under conditions including a ban on being near children while his National Disability Insurance Scheme supports were reviewed. She said that process could take months and argued that bail conditions could manage the risk of further offending.
Special Magistrate Sean Richter questioned how carers could legally restrain the man if he left home. The bail application was adjourned part-heard until next week, when the court is expected to hear evidence about how the accused’s parents would prevent him from leaving without appropriate supervision.