ACT court refuses bail for Department of Social Services public servant for alleged assault charges

The 48-year-old man, who is not named to protect the identity of the alleged victim, was remanded in custody on Tuesday after an ACT magistrate found there was "too much at stake" if the defendant was released.

The defendant, a public servant at the Department of Social Services, has not pleaded to one count of aggravated recklessly inflicting actual bodily harm and two counts of aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The man appeared via audio-visual link in the ACT Magistrates Court where a duty lawyer applied for the defendant's bail on grounds he has not committed past offences and would be able to work outside the ACT, away from the alleged victim.

The court heard the woman had attended hospital three times, the first involving a ruptured spleen on July 25 this year. However, the alleged victim was unwilling to inform hospital staff about how she obtained those injuries.

She was then taken to hospital a second time in late October for a few days after a colleague noticed she had significant injuries to her abdomen.

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On November 11, a colleague reportedly noticed the woman had a black eye which she didn't have the day before, leading to the defendant being arrested the same day.

Prosecutor Angus Brown told the court those injuries had "substantial force" and "fervently" opposed bail on the risk posed to the alleged victim if the defendant was released.

Mr Brown argued the reported offences involved no trigger point and instead appeared to be a "persistent pattern of violence over a period of months".

Magistrate Glenn Theakston was told the immediate aftermath of a family violence matter being reported was one of the most "dangerous periods" and Mr Brown argued the public servant's release could have "dire consequences" for the alleged victim.

Mr Theakston denied bail and found "the system needs to step in" as the public servant sobbed into his hands.

The magistrate noted the alleged victim had not disclosed a lot to police but indicated she is fearful the defendant will escalate matters to the point of killing her and children by setting the house on fire if released.

"There's too much at stake ... to hope he would comply with [bail] conditions," Mr Theakston said.

The public servant will remain in custody until he is next due in court in December.

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