A man allegedly located in a vehicle is contesting charges he stole it from a Delacombe house and drove 60 metres with the owner hanging onto the bonnet.
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Matthew Hind, 31, is charged with aggravated burglary, car theft and recklessly causing injury over the September 9 incident at Lawanna Court, Delacombe.
Police allege a man wearing a balaclava attended the property, stole a set of car keys and sat in the vehicle for a moment before starting the engine.
The owner heard the vehicle start, ran outside and grabbed the man but the car started reversing out of the garage with the owner hanging onto the bonnet.
The owner fell from the car 60 metres down the road.
Police allegedly located Hind sitting in the stolen vehicle at Invermay Park two days later.
He allegedly told police he had been drinking with the victim on the night the car was stolen and he was asked to find the car.
Two weeks earlier on August 24, Hind was allegedly involved in a fight at the Sebastopol Woolworths supermarket carpark.
Police allege the victim approached Hind's girlfriend and told her the hubcaps she had on her car wheels were stolen.
Hind's girlfriend telephoned Hind, and within two minutes, he had arrived at the carpark.
Hind allegedly punched the vicim in the back of the head while an unknown male allegedly poked the victim's eyes.
The victim was admitted to the Ballarat Base Hospital and he still experiences blurred vision from the alleged attack.
"The evidence is purely subjective.
- Defence barrister Cameron Baker
Hind is charged with stealing a tradesman's $5000 trailer on August 10 and stealing a Nissan Navara on August 11.
He faced the Ballarat Magistrates' Court via a video link on Wednesday for a contested mention.
Defence barrister Cameron Baker said his client would plead guilty to some charges, while other charges would be contested.
He questioned the intentionally causing injury charge, relating to the Woolworths incident, saying the victim's medical report showed there was no head injury or internal and external bleeding.
"The evidence is purely subjective," Mr Baker said.
Magistrate Ron Saines said amending the intentionally causing injury charge to recklessly causing injury may be a basis to resolve the matter.
He said Hind would be willing to plead guilty to an amended charge of car theft on September 10 but he had no instructions for a guilty plea to the aggravated burglary.
"I don't think there is enough evidence to find him guilty of aggravated burglary and recklessly causing injury," Mr Baker said.
The police prosecutor said there was doubt over the aggravated burglary and the informant would need to be contacted about information given in Hind's police interview.
Hind was remanded in custody until December 15 for a further contested mention.