A notorious Canberra hard man is representing himself in a bid for bail after landing in jail once again.
Matthew Massey has spent more than two decades behind bars.
He went through three ACT courtrooms on Tuesday morning, after two magistrates declared conflicts of interests with his case and Massey told a third, "I wish to proceed in front of another magistrate".
A warrant was issued for the 44-year-old's arrest after he allegedly committed an aggravated burglary with a pocket knife on September 25, as well as a theft and an intentional wounding.
On Tuesday, he told all three magistrates he'd been presented with different charges and different police documents when he fronted court on October 14.
He told Magistrate James Lawton, "The whole story has changed, Your Honour", and asked: "Are you going to go with this story or not? Is this one locked in, Eddie?"
As Mr Lawton read through court documents, Massey appeared to make notes on his own. He laughed and said: "What the hell? Oh my goodness."
Prosecutors insisted the charges had remained the same since after Massey's arrest. One suggested Massey's mistake may have had something to do with his intoxication on October 14.
When Mr Lawton asked whether he'd applied for bail that day, Massey answered: "Nah, I was pissed."
In Louise Taylor's courtroom, the magistrate asked Massey if he wanted to proceed with his listed bail application, given her documents also reflected the charges had stayed the same.
Massey asked for time to ponder his decision in the court cells.
"I just don't think I'm going to get a fair hearing at all," he said.
When Massey returned from the cells, he said "my sixth sense is going off a bit here" and asked for another magistrate to preside over the case.
Ms Taylor said that wasn't possible, and Massey ultimately agreed to withdraw his bail application.
He said he would represent himself again and apply for bail on Thursday, and he wanted "some sort of official" sitting in the courtroom.
