A man who allegedly stormed a sleepover and attacked three children after they upset his stepson during a "slap game" will be released from prison in the coming days.
The 31-year-old stepfather who is not being named in order to protect the identities of the children involved in the incident, appeared via audio-visual link to the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The man, who has pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary, a choking and two counts of common assault, was granted bail effective from October 31.
In documents previously tendered to the court, police said a group of boys aged 12 and 13 had attended a sleepover at a Watson house on the night of July 30.
During the day, the group was playing "a slap game" in the park. This escalated and one of the boys left after being slapped in the face.
About 9pm that night, the defendant - the stepfather of the boy who left after being slapped - allegedly went to the Watson home where the other boys were having a sleepover.
Both the defendant and his partner allegedly entered the home without consent.
A nine-year-old girl who was playing with Lego in her room at the time heard a woman's voice call out "hello".
The girl went to the hallway when the defendant and co-defendant allegedly asked "where are the boys?"
The girl thought the pair were parents of one of the boys at the sleepover, and pointed to the bedroom they were all inside.
When the two adults entered the room, the man allegedly grabbed one of the boys in a headlock and dragged him "towards a mattress which they had on the floor for the sleepover".
When the defendant dropped to the mattress, he allegedly "kicked out" with his leg, making contact with the head of another boy who was sitting on the floor.
The third boy was also sitting on the mattress, and the defendant allegedly "landed half on top of him" before reaching and pinching the skin under the boy's chin.
The defendant allegedly released the pinch before "fully grabbing" the third boy's throat, causing him difficulty breathing.
The father of the house eventually intervened after his daughter notified him the defendant and his partner were inside, he asked them to leave, which they eventually did.
However, the stepfather allegedly turned around at some point to run back towards the house before the door was slammed shut.
The man was previously refused bail, but, on Tuesday, defence lawyer Tim Sharman argued "there's always two sides to the story".
Mr Sharman said his client was invited in and there was a conversation with no violence.
It was also argued the boys allegedly injured in the incident had in fact been hurt during the "slap game".
Prosecutor Mark Wadsworth said the three children in that bedroom told police the same version of events and it was a serious allegation.
Special magistrate Margaret Hunter said she initially thought "why should I give him bail?" due to the alleged offender's poor history of violence and compliance with court orders.
However, she granted it as the alleged offending appeared to "not be the usual course of conduct he'd engage in".
Ms Hunter also committed the defendant to the ACT Supreme Court, where he will stand trial at a later date.
The man's partner has also been charged, and previously was granted bail.
