Daniel McKay, 20, applied for bail in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Wednesday arguing there were exceptional circumstances for bail.

But police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Repac said police opposed bail because exceptional circumstances were not met, McKay was an unacceptable risk of endangering public safety and interfering with witnesses.

McKay is facing 18 charges including obtaining property by deception, failing to answer bail, burglary, unlawful assault, threat to kill, threat to injure, threat to damage property, theft and trespass.

Police allege McKay fraudulently charged personal items totalling more than $1600 to his employer's account on four occasions in March this year by forging an ex co-worker's signature to sign for the items.

The court was told McKay failed to appear at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court while on bail in July for previous charges.

Also in July, police allege McKay entered through the rear door of his former partner's home after being asked to leave two hours earlier, hid in a wardrobe until he was discovered, then armed himself with a chisel and threatened to 'kill everyone', 'smash up the house' and bash his former partner.

In September police allege McKay attended the premises of Storage King in Wendouree with associates where he stole tools and an antique typewriter from a partially unlocked storage unit.

The court heard police had concerns about McKay's ability to comply with the conditions of bail and posed too great a risk of committing further offences and fail to attend court.

"The accused is an unacceptable risk of reoffending as he appears to commit crime to support his drug habit and he is an unacceptable risk to his former partner given his escalating behaviour towards her," the police informant said.

Defence lawyer David Tamanika said exceptional circumstances applied as McKay had the offer of stable accommodation with his partner of four months who told the court she would report any breaches of bail to police.

Mr Tamanika also said McKay was eligible for the Court Integrated Services program that would provide support to reduce his chance of re-offending, that he was willing to comply with stringent bail conditions, had employment available and should be classed as a youth offender.

"The imposition of appropriate bail conditions would address concern of any risk," Mr Tamanika said.

"There is no compelling evidence about the risk to safety of the community."

Magistrate Gregory Robinson said he denied McKay bail because he did not believe exceptional circumstances were met.

"This (allegation) contains serious offending of dishonesty and family violence, sneaking into the house of the victim, arming himself with a chisel, engaging in physical violence and threats to kill," he said.

"It does seem to me there are strong grounds for police to be pessimistic for the applications probability of re-offending.

"The risk is unacceptable that he would break an intervention order, interfere with (his former partner) as a witness and given the threats he made to kill on entering her residence, I consider he has shown himself to be an unacceptable risk of endangering the welfare and safety of the public."

McKay has been in custody since he was arrested on September 10. He will appear in court for a hearing at a later date.

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