The boyfriend of missing Melbourne woman Maryam Hamka has been denied bail after a court heard her family remains "terrified" of him.
Toby Loughnane, 45, is accused of assaulting his on-and-off-again partner Ms Hamka, who hasn't been seen since April this year.
Loughnane is not charged in relation to Ms Hamka's disappearance, but is charged with assaulting her at some time between December 1 last year and April 15 this year.
Ms Hamka was last seen leaving a Brunswick supermarket on April 10. She told family she was going to visit a friend in Brighton.
Loughnane is accused of the aggravated unlawful assault of Ms Hamka, and two charges of recklessly causing injury to her.
He's also accused of committing the offence of intentionally causing injury while on bail between March and April this year.
Loughnane is in custody and a bail application was heard in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.
His lawyer Sam Norton called the prosecution case "weak". He also said no police statements had been made and that his client would likely spend a year in custody before facing a contested hearing.
"This is an unusual application and carries with it peculiar difficulties, noting there is a homicide investigation supposedly ongoing but no charges laid," Mr Norton said.
The court heard Ms Hamka's family remained "terrified" of Loughnane and that police believe he has "something to do with" her disappearance.
Magistrate Fran Medina denied Loughnane's bail application for these reasons, as well as the "nature and seriousness" of the alleged offending.
The Brighton man will remain in custody, where he has been since his arrest several days after Ms Hamka's disappearance.
Loughnane will next face court for a contest mention on October 5.
The homicide investigation into Ms Hamka's disappearance is ongoing.
