A WOMAN accused of helping to bash a man with a baseball bat outside an Albury unit has suggested elements of self- defence in the case.
The matter was raised during a police application yesterday for a bail review for Simone Antonie in Albury Local Court.
Antonie, 35, was initially granted bail by magistrate Megan Greenwood.
Yesterday magistrate Tony Murray said there appeared to be several inconsistencies between the facts involving Antonie compared with those of her co-accused and partner Joseph Michael Brooks.
“This is something that should be brought to the attention of the co-accused,” Mr Murray said.
He said there were aspects of self-defence that simply were not raised when he read the facts for Brooks on February 26.
Brooks was refused bail by Mr Murray on that day because he said the facts were exceptionally serious and the community had to be protected.
Antonie and Brooks each face a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
But Mr Murray said yesterday he was only able to “deal with the facts before me”, though noted the different matters in Antonie’s facts could be considered at a further mention on Monday.
It is alleged Brooks and Antonie attacked the victim at a Thurgoona Street, Albury, residence on February 18 about 7.20pm.
That followed a texting “war” that the victim tried to resolve by meeting Brooks and Antonie.
But he was allegedly attacked with a bat and suffered a fractured skull and broken jaw.
The victim, who briefly attended court yesterday, spent time in a Melbourne hospital being treated for his injuries.
Mr Murray pointed out the inconsistencies in the statements for each accused to Brooks’ solicitor, Andrea MacDonald, yesterday.
A Director of Public Prosectutions representative said it appeared the differences in Antonie’s statement were the result of information provided by Brooks in an interview with police in the time since he was refused bail late last month.
The prosecution has expressed concern Antonie interfered with witnesses.
An example was comments allegedly made by Antonie to a neighbour after the attack in which she supposedly said the police were on the way and they should not say anything about what had happened.
Also, the prosecution said the attack was especially severe — the assault not only broke the baseball bat but left traces of blood and hair on both the bat and a nearby wall.
