Canberra man accused of attack on young boys given 'very strict' bail
The 18-year-old allegedly knocked over the two and four-year-old brothers at the Belconnen mall and kicked one of them.
An 18-year-old man from Canberra, who has a serious intellectual impairment, has been granted very strict bail after being accused of assaulting two young boys at a shopping center. Police allege that the man approached the two boys, aged two and four, at the Belconnen Westfield shopping center in August, knocking them both over and kicking one of them.
One boy was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. The man was charged with common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was remanded in custody.
During the bail hearing in the ACT Magistrates Court, the man's lawyer, Gillian Bilton, proposed very strict bail conditions. These conditions include that the man would not be allowed to leave his home without being supervised by two people, and that he would only be able to leave his home for essential reasons. He would also need to stay within touching distance of the two people supervising him.
The court heard that police had had more than 40 interactions with the man since 2024, and that he believes he is a car. Prosecutor Taden Kelliher expressed significant concerns about granting bail, stating that the man is a danger. However, the court acknowledged that the man cannot be held indefinitely and accepted that the strict bail conditions would effectively place him under house arrest.
Ms. Bilton also informed the court that the man has been left in a waiting period while trying to access a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support package, noting that the disability system does not move quickly. The court was adjourned while the man's parents provided evidence about the measures they would take to support him if he were released.
Special Magistrate Sean Richter had previously indicated that he could not imagine a worse place for the man to be than in jail, but was concerned about ensuring safeguards were in place if bail was granted.
In granting bail, Special Magistrate Richter imposed the condition that the man must not be within five meters of any children and must comply with police door-checks.
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