Former reality television star Sam Wood launched a legal bid to restrict journalists accessing information on people supporting his case, as he remains in custody facing domestic violence allegations.
The former Bachelor contestant turned fitness guru faces charges of strangulation and assault occasioning bodily harm after he allegedly attacked his wife Snezana during a holiday in Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast earlier this month.
Wood is also seeking to have a non-publication order made in relation to an upcoming bail hearing next Friday.
Wood, 46, has spent almost three weeks in custody after a Queensland magistrate denied his bail application on October 8.
In a hearing in the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Friday, Wood’s legal team attempted to have personal details of those supporting him in court documents kept private.
The redacted parts would include the names, addresses, and identifying information relating to those who had filed affidavits for Wood’s case.
“Because what we can see from media action to date, many of which have been referred to in [legal documents], it can be predicted with some confidence that once those addresses are public, there may well be intrusion on the privacy of individuals … who have done no more than offer support and a bail address for [Wood],” Wood’s barrister, Paula Morreau KC, told the court.
Morreau said there could also be an impact to fair trial rights.
Justice Patrick McCafferty questioned the need for the order, given there were already protections under domestic violence laws in Queensland.
Several media outlets, including this masthead, were represented by Hamish Clift, who did not oppose the redactions.
McCafferty ultimately ruled for the defence to file redacted copies of documents for the bail application.
Wood is alleged to have attacked his wife following an argument in their holiday unit on Noosa’s Hastings Street over her wanting to pack for their departure the following day, and Wood wanting to go to bed.
Details of the allegations were revealed in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on October 8 when Wood unsuccessfully applied for bail.
He pushed Snezana into a wardrobe, before the argument spilled into the hallway, where Wood’s stepdaughter, Eve Markoski-Wood, told him to stop yelling, the court heard.
Wood then allegedly approached Eve aggressively, and Snezana intervened, placing herself in Wood’s path, telling him to leave her daughter alone.
He allegedly grabbed his wife by the throat with one hand, throwing her against the wall and striking her head. Wood then threw her to the floor, holding her throat, gripping tighter and preventing her from breathing, the court was told.
Snezana tried to free herself, the court heard.
“But [she] was unable to do so, saying to police she was scared and thought [her husband] was going to kill her,” acting Magistrate Janelle Boegheim said while handing down her decision on Wood’s bail.
Wood had recalled pushing his wife away, and that there was an incident, but that was the extent of it, Boegheim said.
“He explicitly denies strangling or causing bodily harm to his wife,” Boegheim said.
Boegheim ultimately determined Wood would be an unacceptable risk if he was released, and he will remain in custody until his new bail application.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732.
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