Sam Wood to fight for bail in Supreme Court after domestic violence charges
Sam Wood, a fitness influencer and former reality TV contestant, will take his fight for bail to the highest court in Queensland after his application was rejected by a magistrate on the Sunshine Coast. He is facing domestic violence charges and has been moved to a high-security prison in Brisbane.
Online fitness trainer and former reality TV contestant Sam Wood will take his fight for bail to the highest court in Queensland after his application was rejected by a magistrate on the Sunshine Coast.
Mr Wood, 46, is facing domestic violence charges and spent his first night in prison since his bail application was denied. He has since been moved from the police watch house in Maroochydore to the high-security Brisbane Correctional Centre in Wacol.
Police allege Mr Wood became involved in a family argument that ended with him assaulting his wife, Snezana, at a Noosa property on Saturday night. He is charged with the domestic violence offence of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting.
Mr Wood's legal team confirmed it had been instructed to make a bail application to the Supreme Court of Queensland, which would happen "imminently".
At yesterday's bail application in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court, the accused appeared via video-link from the police watch house. Police prosecutor Sergeant Jeanette Grigoris told the court the alleged assault left Ms Wood fearing for her life.
"She described being "choked", having her head banged on the floor and being unable to breathe,"
The court heard it was Mr Wood's stepdaughter who made a Triple Zero (000) call to police that led to the fitness influencer's arrest. The prosecution opposed bail yesterday, telling the court Mr Wood had "the resources to essentially flee the jurisdiction".
Sergeant Grigoris told the court about an alleged previous domestic violence incident in Victoria. She said the alleged incident also involved Mr Wood throwing his wife against the wall and strangling her.
"[Mr Wood] is at an unacceptable risk of committing further offences having regard to his escalation in behaviour, the previous matter in Victoria, and the nature and seriousness of the offences before the court,"
Mr Wood's lawyer, Mathew Cuskelly, argued his client should be released, given his lack of criminal history. He also cited comments by a forensic psychologist who found Mr Wood was suffering from "extremely severe" depression.
Acting Magistrate Janelle Boegheim denied Mr Wood's bail application and remanded him in custody until November 23.
Mr Wood will launch a new fight for bail in the state's highest court.