A man was allegedly struck and seriously injured when a motorist drove at him in an act of "retribution" following a disagreement, a court has heard.
Nathan Deacon appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, August 14, when he successfully applied for bail.
He has pleaded not guilty to one charge of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The court previously heard that in February 2026, Deacon allegedly drove a car at a man in Oaks Estate following a disagreement, fracturing his leg.
He had been remanded in custody for nearly five months following his arrest.
Opposing bail over concerns Deacon would endanger the community, the prosecutor described the alleged offending as "retribution in nature".
She acknowledged court documents noted the alleged victim appeared to have initiated a "physical altercation".
However, she said Deacon's alleged response went beyond the initial confrontation.
"Rather than removing himself from the situation once he got himself into the car," she said, Deacon allegedly drove at the man and "collided with [his] right leg".
She described the alleged crime as "a continuation of the behaviour of aggression and violence" by Deacon.
"This is someone, in my submission, who wouldn't hesitate to take matters into his own hands."
She also raised concerns about Deacon's history of failing to comply with court orders and said the court could not be satisfied he would abide by bail conditions.
Deacon's defence lawyer acknowledged her client had a history of failing to comply with court orders and said the alleged offending described in the court documents was "certainly quite concerning".
However, she said Deacon had been in custody for nearly five months and there had been ongoing delays in having his case formally heard in court.
She argued that strict conditions and the time already spent in custody meant he should be granted conditional freedom.
Magistrate Glenn Theakston ultimately granted Deacon bail under strict conditions, including supervision by ACT Corrective Services and remaining at least 100 metres from the alleged victim.
The magistrate said he shared concerns about whether Deacon would comply, but noted some of his previous failures to adhere to court orders were dated.
"I note the prosecutor's concerns, and the injury described in the [statement of alleged facts] is of significance," he said.
However, Mr Theakston said the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime were complicated and involved "both men approaching each other to some degree".
The magistrate warned Deacon that if he breached his conditions, he could be returned to custody.
"Please do the right thing," he told Deacon.
The case will return to court later this month.
