An accused serial rapist who yelled wild claims in court has been bailed back into the community after a judge found he no longer poses a risk to public safety.
Wei Feng, 52, made the application in the Victorian County Court on Thursday, as he awaits a retrial on charges of rape and assault with intent to commit a sexual offence.
A jury in 2021 found him guilty of attacking three sex workers and another woman between 2013 and 2017.
It was alleged he lured the sex workers into his car in St Kilda and then forced them to have unprotected intercourse by threatening them using weapons, including a meat cleaver.
Feng allegedly kidnapped a woman who was walking down a street in Sunshine before raping and assaulting her several times.
He was sentenced to 14 years behind bars, but successfully challenged his convictions in 2023, with the Court of Appeal ordering they be set aside.
Feng is listed to face a fresh trial in the County Court in March 2025.
His barrister Bruce Nibbs on Thursday argued his client should be granted bail as he had already served more than seven years on remand.
It would also be easier for Feng to provide trial instructions to his lawyers if he was back in the community, Mr Nibbs said.
Detective Senior Constable Steve Harvey told the court Feng still posed an unacceptable risk, describing the 52-year-old as a serial rapist whose offending escalated before his arrest.
The detective also said most of the delays in the case came from Feng repeatedly sacking his lawyers and then finding new ones.
Feng, who was seated in the dock at the back of the court, interrupted the detective by yelling that cops were corrupt and they "made all the f****** things up".
When Sen Const Harvey told the court the alleged victims were scared for their safety if he was released on bail, Feng shouted: "I should be worried about them f****** coming after me."
Judge Peter Lauritsen briefly adjourned the hearing when Feng refused to stop shouting.
When court resumed half an hour later, Mr Nibbs apologised for his client's outbursts and said he was expressing his frustration about being in custody.
Judge Lauritsen said it was clear from the outbursts that it was difficult for lawyers to obtain instructions from Feng.
But the judge noted that was less relevant to his bail consideration than the "truly extraordinary" period of remand Feng had already served.
Judge Lauritsen found Feng was not an unacceptable risk and the delays in his case warranted he be released on bail with strict conditions.
They include staying at a Sunshine West address with his wife and daughter, daily reporting at the Sunshine police station and a ban from going to St Kilda.
Feng remained quiet after the decision, instead looking down and frowning.
He asked to be released on bail on Friday, so he could return to prison on Thursday afternoon and collect his belongings.
