Two alleged debt collectors have been accused of claiming to be "special army soldiers" from China while carrying out a "nasty" bashing.
Lyneham man Wengao Zheng, 44, and Weetangera resident Xiantao Shang, 36, were granted bail when they faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.
In court documents, police describe being called to a disturbance in Belconnen on Sunday night.
Officers allege it involved Zheng and Shang forcing their way into a unit while searching for a woman.
When a woman inside said she did not know that person, Zheng allegedly pushed her into a wall before kicking her while she was on the ground.
A man in the unit tried to intervene, according to police, who claim Zheng punched him repeatedly in the face.
Both defendants then allegedly kicked this man.
The man nevertheless managed to call triple zero, with police able to hear multiple voices screaming in Mandarin.
When police arrived at the scene, the male alleged victim opened the door with "a significant injury to his right eye".
Inside, officers found the female alleged victim with red marks and bruising on her face.
Both defendants were also present.
Police claim Zheng had "a significant amount of blood on his hands and knuckles", while he was also in possession of zip ties and duct tape.
Shang, meanwhile, is said to have had blood and scratches on his hands.
Officers claim Shang told them he and Zheng were there because the male alleged victim had stolen money from them and other people.
Both alleged attackers spent a night in police custody before facing court, where a Legal Aid staff member acted as a Mandarin interpreter.
Zheng and Shang were each charged with aggravated burglary and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Shang pleaded not guilty to all charges, while Zheng denied the aggravated burglary allegation.
The latter did not enter pleas to the assault charges.
Prosecutor Hannah Mitchell opposed bail in relation to both defendants, telling the court the alleged victims were "extremely fearful" for their safety.
Ms Mitchell said any ongoing dispute about money was "not just going to go away".
She also argued the alleged offending had been "brazen" and that the defendants had demonstrated "a propensity for extreme violence".
The prosecutor expressed concerns about the pair fleeing the country, but lawyers for both men arranged for their passports to be surrendered to the court.
Lawyer Tamzin Lee told the court her client, Zheng, worked in construction and had been carrying the zip ties and duct tape for work purposes rather than anything sinister.
Ms Lee also said a police bail consideration form showed officers had concerns about the veracity of what the alleged victims had told them.
Stephanie Corish, representing Shang, said self-defence was "a live issue" in the 36-year-old's case.
She noted police did not allege Shang was "the primary aggressor".
Ms Corish also addressed concerns Shang might flee by telling the court his wife ran a business in Canberra, where the couple lived with their daughter.
Special magistrate Sean Richter said the prosecution case was effectively that the defendants had tried to collect a debt "by some other means than by making an application to the Magistrates Court".
On the basis of photographs tendered by Ms Mitchell, he said it seemed "a fairly nasty assault has occurred".
Mr Richter nevertheless decided to grant both defendants bail, imposing terms that include requirements for the pair to report daily to police and to refrain from contacting their alleged victims and each other.
Zheng and Shang are due back in court on September 4.
