By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN described as a “prolific and violent offender” has been refused bail after allegedly advancing and threatening to strike a police officer with a metal pole in a Hallam backyard last weekend.
Casper De Waij, 21, appeared in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday after allegedly “challenging” police by raising the pole and saying: “If you want to spray me (with capsicum foam), I’ll give you a reason to spray me”.
First Constable Nathan Carthew, of Narre Warren police, told the court De Waij and a co-resident were armed with poles in the Saffron Drive house’s backyard at 6.05am on Sunday when police arrived.
First Constable Carthew said De Waij had appeared angry and ranted about the property being damaged.
Police were looking into De Waij’s claims that the house had been earlier trashed by a gang of 30 “Sudanese males”, the informant said.
The accused allegedly refused to comply with police directions several times, such as refusing to take his hands out of his pockets while approaching as close as two metres.
First Constable Carthew said capsicum foam seemed to have “little effect” on De Waij, who he described as a “prolific and violent offender” with “no regard for the justice system”.
Defence lawyer Siva Kandasamy told the court De Waij was affected by a “fair bit of alcohol” at the time, as well as being afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, split personality disorder, depression and anger management issues.
“He does concede that sometimes if he drinks he has a problem controlling himself well.
“When he saw the property was trashed, he lost the plot.”
Mr Kandasamy said De Waij’s behaviour was also triggered by police suspicions; they may have initially believed the accused was responsible for trashing the house.
“(De Waij and his co-resident) armed themselves in case they were attacked by the Sudanese males.
“He has no history of assaulting or attacking police officers.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said police “were here to help him then the police turn into the victims”.
He was concerned with De Waij’s recent re-offending – some while serving a suspended jail term and a lengthy community corrections order.
The court was told the accused had been previously convicted and received a suspended jail term for affray and assault.
On Sunday, De Waij had been on bail over another set of assault, criminal damage and affray charges as well as two counts of driving while suspended, driving at a speed dangerous and other traffic offences.
He was also facing a failure-to-answer-bail charge, and had allegedly breached his bail conditions by moving out from a Cranbourne North address to the Saffron Drive house.
Mr Vandersteen said De Waij’s Facebook post of a police text message after he had failed to go to a police station for questioning had the “feeling of thumbing his nose”.
He said he was refusing the “difficult” application because of the “serious nature of the offending”.
“You could not get that aggressive fire out of you, and went and got that weapon.”
He was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 16 October.
