A man accused of breaking into a retirement village swore and attempted to throw a keyboard at a courtroom camera after a magistrate denied him bail.
Bradley Caine Anthony Dawson appeared via audio-visual link in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, July 31.
The 38-year-old is yet to enter pleas to two counts of unlawful possession of stolen property, and one count each of burglary, going equipped for theft, and possessing a knife without a reasonable excuse.
Police said a resident of a retirement village in Ainslie reported the alleged intruder in the basement carpark about 3am on Friday.
Officers arrived to find multiple storage cages with damaged locks and doors. In one storage cage, officers found the 38-year-old man.
He was arrested, and a search of his belongings allegedly uncovered a knife, pry bar, gloves, and other tools police will allege were used for theft.
In court, Dawson's defence lawyer acknowledged that the 38-year-old had a criminal history "that does not assist him" as she applied for bail on his behalf.
She said she understood the prosecution's concerns regarding the likelihood of him offending while on bail, but argued those concerns could be partially ameliorated through strict bail conditions - including home detention and regular police reporting.
She added that Dawson had been "significantly struggling" with his mental health in recent weeks and said treatment would help address those issues.
Magistrate Glenn Theakston said he did not need to hear from the prosecutor, who opposed the application, before refusing bail.
He said he was not satisfied any conditions could effectively reduce the risk to the community if he were to grant the man conditional freedom.
In response, Dawson told the magistrate that he couldn't go back into custody.
"I fear for my safety in there," he said. "I can't deal with it mentally. I know I stuffed up, I admit that. I am worried for my safety."
Mr Theakston thanked Dawson for the information and said he would inform officers about his situation.
The man then appeared to swear loudly before the audio was muted, at which point he was seen trying to throw a keyboard towards the camera.
Sheriff's officers quickly intervened before the video feed cut out.
His case will return to court in August.
