A drug addict will fight charges he threatened to kill three of his family members while wielding a chainsaw at a Canberra house.
The 32-year-old man appeared by phone in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, and pleaded not guilty to three counts of intentionally threatening to kill his mother, father, and sister.
The man - who cannot be named for legal reasons - did not enter pleas to a further four charges, including three counts of common assault and one count of damaging property.
Police documents tendered to the court said officers attended a house in Gilmore, where the man lives with his parents, about 3pm on Saturday.
The documents said the man had tried to speak with his family members "about a parallel universe, but did not get the response he required", so he punched a hole in a wall and punched and kicked his bedroom door.
His defence lawyer on Monday said the accused man got into an argument with his sister about a wedding before the alleged incident.
The documents said the man went into his bedroom and retrieved his father's chainsaw from beside his bed. He allegedly tried to start the chainsaw and told his three family members he was going to kill them with it.
"All family members feared for their safety as they believed the defendant would kill them," the documents said.
"The defendant could not get the chainsaw started so he threw it at a wall in his bedroom, creating a hole in the plasterboard."
The man allegedly pushed his mother, sister and father in the chest in an attempt to get them out of his bedroom.
His defence lawyer on Monday said the accused man disputed the allegation he threatened to kill his family, and said he never tried to start up the chainsaw. The defence lawyer conceded the man had a "known addiction" to methamphetamine, but said he was willing to address the issue.
Prosecutor Kate Reardon described the alleged offences as "alarming" and said they involved "a weapon that could have inflicted serious damage".
"It certainly would have been completely scary [for those involved]," she said.
Magistrate Bernadette Boss refused the man bail on grounds including that there appeared to be a strong prosecution case.
The man is due in court again on May 19.
In a statement about the alleged incident on Monday, acting superintendent of Judicial and Family Violence Operations, Sue Smith, said police would continue to protect against family violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
"ACT Policing has a strong no tolerance to family violence. We will prosecute family violence offenders to the full extent of the law," she said.
"It is never too early to ask for help and advice."
The ACT's Family Violence Coordination Unit remains open during the coronavirus pandemic to protect those at risk.
A police spokesman said ACT police would continue to work with the Domestic Violence Crisis Service and Legal Aid to provide assistance.
