A Portland man accused of a carjacking with a 15-centimetre knife has been granted bail with the condition he resides in Horsham.
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Trevor Hansen, 22, previously of Portland's Bolwarra Court and now of Knights Place in Horsham, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court charged with aggravated carjacking, assault with a weapon and other offences.
Detective Senior Constable Tim Chester, of the Portland police crime investigation unit, told the court the female victim was driving her father's vehicle on February 27 this year with Mr Hansen and another male riding passenger.
He said the three people were all known to each other. He said the victim drove to Heywood cemetery and then back to Portland where she visited a chemist.
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When she arrived back at the car there was a third male in the back of her vehicle, the detective said.
He said Mr Hansen suddenly became agitated, produced a 15-centimetre knife and demanded she keep driving.
The court heard the victim, fearing for her life, continued to drive around Portland against her will. She drove to a service station where Mr Hansen allegedly punched her to the face, arms and legs, causing bruises.
He then demanded she drive them to an address in South Portland, which she did.
When they arrived at the property, the three males exited the vehicle and Mr Hansen was observed walking towards the house with the knife still in his hand.
A fourth male exited the property and picked up a chainsaw.
Mr Hansen and the other two males ran back to the car and demanded the victim drive them back to Portland.
The court heard she dropped them at a hotel in Portland and then reported the incident to police.
A police prosecutor said officers took photographs of scratches on the victim's car, as well as bruises to her body.
Mr Hansen attended Portland police station the following day by appointment.
The court heard the alleged offending occurred just one month after Mr Hansen was released from prison after serving five months for charges of intentionally causing injury and drug and firearm-related offences.
Detective Senior Constable Chester said the man "seems to find trouble in Portland and wherever he goes".
Portland lawyer Julia Ray said the prosecution case was "weak". She said there was no CCTV footage and the two witnesses in the vehicle denied the alleged offending.
"There are major trial-able issues," Miss Ray said, adding that a contested committal would not be heard for at least five months.
She said her client was at Port Philip Prison which, due to the coronavirus, was in lockdown 50 per cent of the time.
Mr Hansen was released on bail with strict conditions, including he reside in Horsham, not leave the state of Victoria and not contact witnesses for the prosecution.
He will appear in court again in October.
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