Darren Sweet, of no fixed address, applied for bail at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Friday with police opposing his application.

Police informant Senior Constable Simon Kirk, of the Bacchus Marsh Police Station, said late last year the accused’s behaviour changed towards the complainant.

He said Sweet started drinking alcohol, smoking cannabis and verbally abusing the complainant at her Darley house in front of children.

Senior Constable Kirk told the court the accused had been drinking alcohol on December 20 when he started calling the complainant offensive names.

He said when the complainant tried to leave the address, the accused kicked her in the back where she had had multiple surgeries.

“The accused kept yelling at the (complainant), ‘You don’t know what’s coming’,” Senior Constable Kirk said.

“The (complainant) is scared of the threatening words.” 

At one point, Sweet allegedly threatened to hit the complainant’s neighbour and cut the complainant’s finger off.

Defence lawyer James McKenzie put to the informant his client had accommodation in Ballarat which would reduce the risk of him reoffending.

But Senior Constable Kirk said, “There has been a history of family violence for a long time, there has been a cycle and I think it will continue”.

Mr McKenzie said his client denied he kicked the complainant, it was not a serious example of unlawful assault and the 21 days he had already spent in custody was satisfactory.

Sweet was also assessed suitable for the Court Integrated Services Program.

But magistrate Ron Saines said Sweet was at risk of becoming homeless within a week and CISP could only give marginal assistance.

He refused bail, saying he was not satisfied there were compelling reasons why he should be released into the community. 

Sweet, who has been charged with unlawful assault, was remanded to appear at Bacchus Marsh Magistrates Court on February 8.