A lockdown protester charged with separate attacks on police officers who were on horses was refused bail even though a magistrate accepted he might not face trial until 2023.
Dennis Basic is accused of repeatedly hitting a policewoman’s horse with a flagpole during a protest last year, and then hurling a traffic bollard at another mounted policewoman nine months later.
Lockdown protesters march through central Melbourne on July 24.Credit:Eddie Jim
Mr Basic was charged over the first incident and on bail when he hit the second policewoman in the head with the weighted plastic bollard, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard.
The 36-year-old has spent 80 days in custody since he was arrested, days after he joined thousands of lockdown protesters in the July 24 protest in central Melbourne. His lawyer, David Cronin, on Monday argued delay was a major reason the accused man should get bail.
Mr Cronin said the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the courts meant Mr Basic might not face trial until 2023.
Magistrate Rose Falla accepted delay was a compelling reason for bail and that Mr Basic faced a long wait before trial, but ultimately denied his application, finding the allegations were serious and the accused posed an unacceptable risk to the community if released. She remanded him in custody.
“He’s armed himself, it’s alleged, on two occasions and behaved in a way that puts others at risk in the community, and for those reasons, I’m refusing the application for bail,” Ms Falla said.
Detective Senior Constable Mike Gagliardi said Mr Basic attended a lockdown protest on St Kilda Road on October 23 last year. About 3pm that day it was alleged the man grabbed a flagpole off a mounted policewoman and struck her horse on the head several times.
Lockdown protester denied bail after alleged attacks on police on horses
Source: Philippines Alive
