A 24-year-old man has been granted bail after allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend and potentially causing a brain injury.
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The Macquarie man faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Saturday morning charged with assault causing actual bodily harm.
The prosecutor did not oppose the man being granted bail as long as conditions were put in place.
But the prosecutor told the court the victim was still awaiting results from the hospital to determine whether she had suffered a brain injury.
It is understood that if she has received a brain injury or harm has been done to the unborn child, the man will face an upgrade in charges and have to return to court.
Court documents said the defendant and his girlfriend had an argument in the defendant's residence before the 23-year-old woman tried to gather her possessions and leave.
It is alleged the man grabbed his girlfriend with both hands to prevent her leaving and threw her to the ground causing her to hit her head on the ground.
As the woman tried to get up and get her phone it is alleged the man grabbed her again and pinned her to the ground causing her to hit her head again.
The defendant allegedly pinned her to the ground while the woman tried to wrestle away from him.
The man then allegedly carried the woman to the couch where he again prevented her from standing up and at one point violently shook her from side to side.
The documents said the woman was eventually able to phone her brother for help, he picked her up and drove her to hospital.
During the argument it is alleged the man yelled at the victim that she needed to go out and earn money for him and that he accused her of making him crazy before punching himself repeatedly in the head.
Magistrate Glenn Theakston said the man's apparent dominating behaviour and the fact the victim was pregnant was of great concern.
Magistrate Theakston appeared reluctant to grant bail, saying: "I'm in two minds in granting you bail. I was on a knife edge."
He said the man only received bail because the charge against him carried a presumption in favour of bail and the man had no criminal history of violence.
The man must not approach his girlfriend or her brother and can not return to his residence for a period of time to allow his girlfriend to secure different accommodation.
He will return to court later this month.
