An Illawarra man charged with assaulting a woman and her one-year-old granddaughter and dousing them in petrol has been denied bail.
Tony McEwan, 41, appeared in Wollongong Local Court accused of offences including common assault and intimidation.
Police facts tendered to court stated that the alleged victim was looking after her one-year-old granddaughter when the incident occurred.
The court heard Mr McEwan participated in the methadone treatment program two days week and police claimed he was behaving unusually when he returned from the clinic and went to the woman's home.
Mr McEwan allegedly began swearing at the woman, who police said left the house with her granddaughter when he began smoking from a "crack pipe".
When they returned Mr McEwan allegedly accused the woman of stealing his epilepsy pills and started yelling, "I'm going to f***ing kill you, I'm going to f***ing kill you, I'm going to stab you, I've f***ing had enough of you".
Police allege the woman barricaded herself inside her room with her granddaughter and used a pram to block the door.
She told Mr McEwan she had called the police and was on the line to triple zero.
'Let her go blind'
Mr McEwan then allegedly kicked the door open and used a small brown bottle filled with petrol to douse the woman and child.
Police claimed woman pleaded with him not to pour the petrol on her granddaughter, to which he allegedly responded, "I don't f***ing care, let her go blind".
Police claim while the alleged victim was returning from the bathroom after washing the child's face, Mr McEwan struck her in the head and body with a glass.
Police were called to the home a short time later and officers allegedly smelt a strong scent of petrol throughout the house.
Mr McEwan allegedly told police nothing had happened and that the woman had tried to steal his belongings.
Defence lawyer Elizabeth Hogan told the court the alleged victim was a widow.
She said her client had suffered a serious brain injury after falling from a balcony when he was 20 and he had difficulty with impulse control, but had never been convicted of a violent offence.
'Serious concerns'
Police Sergeant Amelia Wall told the court she held serious concerns for the safety of the alleged victims if Mr McEwan were to be released on bail.
"When the accused was being arrested, he said to the police 'Youse will be back here for a murder mate, I'm telling you,'" she said.
"This would concern the court in regard to his motives when he is released from custody.
"Based on the allegations, the prosecution submits the court would have serious concerns for the safety of the victims and on those grounds, we ask that bail be refused."
Magistrate Greg Elks said the accused was a vulnerable Aboriginal man.
In refusing bail, he told the court it was difficult to impose conditions that would protect them.
"These are indeed very serious allegations," Magistrate Elks said.
"In all the circumstances bail will be refused."
