The 45-year-old man, who cannot be named, applied for bail in Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday after a bid for release last week was refused.

The court heard the man suffered a serious degenerative back condition, but had not been receiving the correct medication in custody for his chronic pain, despite specific court instructions.

Police will allege the man was angered by an allegation of child indecent assault, which later proved to be false, and sought revenge on his ex over the claim.

Officers were contacted after an associate raised concerns about a conversation he had with the man in which the 45-year-old allegedly expressed a desire to "get rid of" his ex and her sister.

An investigation was launched and an undercover police officer later recorded the man describing what he wanted done to the woman, police facts before the court claim.

"What I want done, is that I want her done over," he allegedly told the man.

"I just want her done over. I don't want her killed or anything, I just want her taught a f---ing lesson."

Police claim the man also said he wanted the woman to get "a good f---ing belting, but not in front of the kids".

He was later arrested and charged with recruiting another person to assist in carrying out criminal activity.

Defence lawyer Laura Fennell said her client had later changed his mind and told the man not to carry out an attack, and that he had been very depressed at the time.

Magistrate Michael Stoddart found there was no new basis for granting a bail application and it was formally refused.