A Mangerton man with two girlfriends asked a court to release him on bail to live with one of the women, despite allegations he assaulted the other.
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Wollongong Local Court last week heard Rex Jo Clarke was in a relationship with both women, one of whom was 21 weeks pregnant with his child.
He stands accused of assaulting the pregnant girlfriend by grabbing her by the hair and throat following an alleged dispute about infidelity.
He fronted court on Friday on a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer lawyer Anastasia Socorro applied for bail on Clarke's behalf, saying his other girlfriend was in the courtroom and would agree to house him at her home in Wollongong.
"He can put up an unsecured surety of $1000; he's denied the offences to police, he denies any assault on the alleged victim" she said.
"I'm instructed [the incident] started with verbal argument and that's where it ended."
Ms Socorro said Clarke had previously been a user of the drug ice, but had been clean in the community for three weeks.
She said he was currently working casually in a construction job cleaning up worksites and if released on bail, would agree not to enter the Mangerton area and not have any contact with his pregnant girlfriend.
Police opposed the application, noting Clarke had a lengthy criminal record for matters of violence, including domestic incidents involving multiple previous partners.
"She was [allegedly] grabbed by the hair and throat and dragged through the house to the living room," the police prosecutor said.
"There's serious risk to the protection of the victim in this matter if he is released."
The court heard Clarke and the alleged victim got into a verbal argument last Thursday about his infidelity, allegedly prompting Clarke to call the woman a "f--king dog" and threaten to "get" her.
The woman told police she attempted to walk away from Clarke, however he allegedly grabbed her from behind by her hair and dragged her to the floor, then back towards the living room while she was on her knees.
The woman said she struggled and screamed, before Clarke picked up his belongings and left the house.
Police arrived short time later.
Clarke was subsequently arrested in the early hours of Friday morning and charged.
In court on Friday, Magistrate Robert Walker refused to release Clarke on bail, noting his lengthy record for similar offences.
Clarke will remain behind bars until his next court appearance, scheduled for a date in December.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
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