Yarralumla man's Christmas ends in prison after ACT Magistrates Court refused bail for allegedly threatening to kill mother

The Yarralumla man appeared before the ACT Magistrates Court on Saturday after being cleared of a mental health assessment.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker charged the man with two counts of aggravated reckless threat to kill under family violence and one count of possessing an offensive weapon with intent.

According to police documents tendered in court, around 11.30pm on December 25 the man attended the Yarralumla home of his mother and her husband of three years, even though the man was previously told he was not welcome.

The defendant's mother told him to leave and she asked her husband to call the police.

The man allegedly did not listen and entered his mother's house, following her to the kitchen. An argument broke out with the defendant, who allegedly demanded to know why there were faeces from a different dog in the yard and why his mother had sweat on her clothes.

The mother "was unable to follow the conversation, which presented as disjointed and incoherent".

During this encounter, the man allegedly picked up a knife from the kitchen counter and held it up towards his mother "in a threatening way".

It is alleged the defendant said words to the effect of "it's better this way if we both die, you and me" to his mother, leaving her fearful for her life.

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The husband entered the kitchen from the hallway when the defendant's mother again asked for the police to be called.

The man then allegedly held the knife up to the husband, who backed away down the corridor and exited the home to call police without further antagonising the defendant, who reportedly appeared "paranoid and aggressive".

The defendant reportedly followed the husband out onto the street and began chasing him.

The husband attempted to run away however the man allegedly caught up with him.

The husband stopped and turned to the defendant, who reportedly began asking him questions regarding his relationship with his mother.

The man was allegedly "hostile and confrontational" and continued to advance on the retreating husband.

When the defendant was allegedly about 30 centimetres away from the husband, he pointed at the husband's chest and said words to the effect of "that looks like a good spot" while using his right hand to reach behind his back and towards his waistline.

The husband believed the defendant was still in alleged possession of the knife which he observed the man holding back in the kitchen.

Fearing for his life, the complainant thought the man was going to stab him in the heart.

About 11.46pm, the husband began to move back towards his home with the defendant allegedly following behind and they were met by police.

Police claimed the man presented as "erratic and paranoid and unable to maintain a coherent train of thought".

About 12.01am on December 26, the defendant was arrested and taken to the ACT Regional Watch House.

In court on Saturday, prosecutor Mark Wadsworth opposed the man being released on bail due to the risk of reoffending and the complainants being fearful he would come back to their home.

Defence lawyer Kat Duffy argued the man was not medicated at the time of offending and was now back to being "coherent".

Ms Walker refused bail as she was concerned he did not have immediate access to supports if released.

The man will next appear in court on January 13.

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