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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

Army man allegedly confined cheating girlfriend in car after assault

An army employee is accused of grabbing his naked girlfriend by the hair, pulling her out of a bedroom, and forcing her in his car after discovering she cheated.

This "proprietary attitude" was "so far outside of the realm of reasonable behaviour" the man could not be granted bail, a magistrate said on Monday.

The 23-year-old man was denied bail in the ACT Magistrates Court, where he was charged with forcible confinement, burglary, aggravated common assault, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The man, who is not named to protect the victim's identity, is yet to enter pleas.

A police document alleges on Saturday night the alleged victim went out drinking in the City with friends to celebrate her birthday.

It is said the woman and the man had been living together in the City for several months.

In the early hours of Sunday morning the woman contacted her ex-boyfriend and arranged to meet at his Scullin home, where they had sex.

About 4am, while in bed, the ex-boyfriend heard knocking and the sound of a sliding door opening.

The alleged offender is accused of coming into the home, and kicking in the bedroom door.

He then allegedly grabbed the woman around the waist and pulled her off the other man, before punching the ex-boyfriend in the face several times.

The 23-year-old is accused of then pulling the woman, who was naked, out of the room by her hair and taking her outside to his car.

The ex-boyfriend followed, while carrying the woman's clothes, and asked: "Are you OK? Do you need help? Do you want this? Do you feel safe going with him?"

The woman was still naked and in view of a member of the public at the time.

She is said to have responded: "No, I don't want this. I don't want to go."

The defendant then forced her into the car and drove off.

The ex-boyfriend then received messages believed to be from the other man saying, "How's your face feel? You're lucky I didn't kill you."

On Monday, a Legal Aid lawyer applied for the man to be granted bail, saying he had a plan to see a psychologist if released from custody.

City Police Station. Picture by Elesa Kurtz.

The lawyer said he was employed full-time by the army and had strong family support.

They stated the defendant had instructed he had no intention to harm someone when he visited the Scullin home.

Magistrate Alexandra Burt said she was concerned about the alleged behaviour and "there is a proprietary attitude in that offending".

"It's so far outside of the realm of reasonable behaviour that I'm not sure that I could be satisfied that he would submit to conditions," Ms Burt stated.

Prosecutor Hannah Lee had opposed bail, arguing "it is not a short temporary loss of control or lashing out, he actually took a number of steps".

"He's not a person that seems to behave or act with the requisite level of self control or reasoning," Ms Lee told the court.

The prosecutor argued if the man was "angry enough", bail conditions not to contact the alleged victim would not be at the front of his mind.

The man was remanded to custody and is set to face court again later this month.

  • Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
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