AN Albury man was yesterday committed to stand trial over a violent home invasion where a knife was allegedly used to threaten another man.
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Chris Romeril appeared in Albury Local Court through a video link from jail.
Director of Public Prosecutions representative Aaron Thomas said charges of aggravated break and enter committing a serious indictable offence in company, assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Romeril will proceed in the District Court.
The assault occasioning actual bodily harm matter relates to an incident between Romeril and the victim about a week before the alleged home invasion.
Magistrate Tony Murray adjourned the matters for a District Court call-over on August 5 and Romeril, 19, remains in custody.
A submitted police brief of evidence outlined how the victim, then 23, lived in Hibiscus Crescent at West Albury last year.
When he was sleeping about 7am on December 21, the victim heard a window in the lounge room open and believed it was his brother coming home.
The man drifted back to sleep before hearing his bedroom door open and opening his eyes to see four men standing at the doorway.
He immediately recognised one of them, who was standing in the middle of the doorway and was flanked by a man wearing a balaclava and two Aboriginal men.
One of the Aboriginal men walked down a hallway to a spare room where the victim played Xbox.
There are four security cameras in the room pointing out towards the street.
The victim asked the men what they were doing in the house, got up and walked around three of them.
He heard a voice which he recognised as being Chris Romeril and realised he was wearing the balaclava.
A week earlier the victim had been assaulted by Romeril after they had an argument about the security cameras.
Romeril raised his left hand, holding a 30 to 40 centimetre knife to the victim’s neck for a few seconds.
The tip of the knife was then put on the victim’s right cheekbone.
The intruders went through the victim’s property and put some in a bag.
One of the Aboriginal men twice punched the victim to the face and Romeril kicked him to the face.
They stayed at the residence for about 20 to 30 minutes before leaving through the front door.
Four other charges relating to Romeril’s arrest by police have been adjourned to Albury Local Court on December 21.