A 20-year-old allegedly threatened to slit the throats of his ex-girlfriend's family when they refused to reveal where she was staying.
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Jay Lee applied for bail at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday.
The court heard Lee and his former partner had been in a 'volatile' relationship for two-and-a-half years.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Steve Kent said the woman separated from Lee last week and moved into emergency accommodation.
The accused is a serious risk of harming the affected family member and her family, both physically and mentally.
- Leading Senior Constable Steve Kent
The court heard Lee contacted his ex-girlfriend's family and friends on September 2 and September 5 wanting to know the location of her accommodation.
He allegedly threatened to kill her friends and family if they did not tell him the location, causing them to feel fearful and worried about being in their own homes.
The court heard Lee allegedly told his ex-girlfriend's sister he was outside her house and threatened to ram his car through the house, slit her and her children's throats and drag them out of the house if she did not provide the location.
Leading Senior Constable Kent said Lee also called his ex-girlfriend's mother and allegedly said he would drive to her house and kill her and any grandchildren with her.
Lee was arrested on September 5 and charged with making threats to kill.
Leading Senior Constable Kent said Lee was a serious violent offender and had prior convictions for threats to kill and threats to inflict serious injury.
He was on bail at the time of the alleged offences.
"The accused is a serious risk of harming the affected family member and her family, both physically and mentally," Leading Senior Constable Kent said.
"Police believe he will carry out the threats if given a chance."
The court heard Lee denied the allegations when interviewed by police and said his Facebook had been hacked.
Defence lawyer Scott Belcher said Lee could live with his mother in Ballarat if released on bail who would support him with obtaining treatment for mental health issues.
He said Lee would be contesting the charges, based on the submission the allegations were 'angry words' said in the 'heat of the moment' in the context of a relationship breakdown and did not legally constitute a threat to kill.
Mr Belcher said bail conditions could manage the risk, including mental health treatment and prohibition from using Facebook and other social media.
Lee's mother gave evidence she would assist her son to receive a new mental health care plan and connect with a drug counsellor.
She said she would call the police if he was not complying with bail.
Leading Senior Constable Kent questioned Lee's mother's ability to control him and said Lee did not meet the exceptional circumstances test for bail.
"It would appear the accused is fixated with contacting the affected family member and is prepared to threaten family members to access her," he said.
"This is unacceptable and in my submission would not abate if he was released.
"The affected family member is very worried and her family members would be very worried."
Magistrate Cynthia Toose said she considered Lee a serious violent offender due to his prior criminal history.
She said she was satisfied exceptional circumstances were met, but she was not satisfied the imposition of conditions could reduce the level of risk.
"There are threats of violence and threats to kill children in the context of priors where he is a serious violent offender," Ms Toose said.
"I am not satisfied the mother can satisfactorily control the applicant and I am not satisfied conditions can reduce the risk to an acceptable level."
Lee was refused bail and will return to court later in September.
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