A fearful mother was forced to hide in her bathroom from her son after he allegedly threatened to kill her and burn down her house, a court has heard.
The 40-year-old man, who is not named to protect the identity of his parents, was granted bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.
Wearing a pair of SpongeBob SquarePants pyjama pants, Ugg boots and a Canberra Raiders jersey, he did not enter pleas to aggravated threat to kill, property damage and trespassing.
"In other words, you threatened to kill your parents," Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said after reading out the charges.
According to police documents tendered to the court, the man was removed from the Chisholm home after making the verbal threats on Saturday morning.
The couple told police they believed their son had the ability and means to carry out the alleged threat.
Police were again called to the same property two hours later, when they found the son yelling inside and holding a dustpan and broom.
His mother told officers she had locked herself in the bathroom to hide from her returning son, who she said had been screaming and walking around the house looking for her after her husband left.
"The witness feared that the defendant was going to kill her," prosecutor Mark Wadsworth said.
The alleged victim also said she could not call triple-0 out of fear her son would hear her. She had earlier managed to alert her husband, who made the emergency phone call.
The alleged offender told police he had broken the door to get inside after officers found a smashed glass window at the home's entrance.
"I have no recollection of Saturday at all," he blurted out in court on Monday.
Legal Aid lawyer Gillian Bilton said her client, who has been diagnosed with bipolar and ADHD, regularly saw medical professionals and was working to address his mental health issues.
She also said the man was discharged on Friday from a Sydney mental health facility after voluntarily admitting himself. However, he reportedly did not want to leave the facility the day before his alleged crimes.
"He does need to reconnect with his psychiatrist," Ms Bilton said, as her client nodded.
The chief magistrate ultimately granted the man's conditional release after making a special interim family violence order and banning him from being within 100 metres of his parents.
"Yes, your honour," he replied, when asked if he understood his bail conditions.
The man, whose criminal history included contravening a family violence order, will reappear in court next month.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732; ACT Domestic Violence Crisis Service 6280 0900.
