A Campbelltown butcher accused of holding his girlfriend against her will and repeatedly threatening to kill her as they drove around Wollongong's northern suburbs will remain behind bars after failing to convince a magistrate to release him so he could look after his seriously ill mother.
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Scott James Chandler, 29, stands accused of subjecting his girlfriend of four months to a terrifying ordeal over a 48-hour period in early May which allegedly involved him physically and verbally abusing her, holding her hostage inside his car and repeatedly threatening to burn her house down.
Chandler was arrested on May 4, charged with a host of offences including assault and kidnapping and remanded in custody after failing to secure bail.
However, Chandler made a second application for bail in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, saying his mother's health had worsened in the three months he'd been in prison and he needed his liberty to look after her.
"His mother is in post-operative care for cancer - her health has deteriorated to the point she can't work and is having difficulties with basic household chores," defence lawyer Laura Fennell said.
"She'd benefit from him being at home."
However, Magistrate Susan McGowan refused to release Chandler from custody.
Documents tendered to the court reveal Chandler discovered text messages from another man on the woman's phone and confronted her about it while they were in his car driving to get breakfast on May 3.
Chandler allegedly hit the face, telling her "I found messages from [the male] you little dog. You're not going nowhere now".
Chandler then allegedly threatened to kill them both and twice drove at speed towards a power pole, with the victim pulling on the handbrake at the last minute to avoid crashing.
She told police she tried to get out of the car but Chandler grabbed her by the throat to stop her exiting the vehicle.
The court heard the woman eventually managed to get out of the car and ran towards a silver Toyota, whose female driver motioned for her to get in the vehicle.
Chandler allegedly got out of his black Holden Commodore and prevented the victim from getting in the Toyota by grabbing hold of her and dragging her back into his car.
He then drove into Wollongong, at one stage driving the wrong way down a one-way street and colliding with Toyota Hiace van, but immediately drove off without giving his details to the other driver, police will allege.
Meanwhile, the woman contacted police later the day from her mother's home in Bellambi to provide a statement.
Police were unable to locate Chandler that evening, however it is alleged he attended the Bellambi house multiple times in the next 12 hours and repeatedly threatened to set fire to the home if the victim didn't return his clothing and property.
At one stage, police allege he poured a flammable liquid over items sitting on the kerb for council collection and lit them on fire.
The woman also claims Chandler used her mobile phone to upload intimate images of her to her Facebook account.
When arrested and interviewed, Chandler allegedly denied assaulting the woman or holding her against her will in his car.
Chandler is yet to enter a plea to the charges. His case will return to court on September 9.
