A public servant allegedly threatened his ex-partner with a pipe bomb and "death by napalm", a court has heard.
The territory's tactical response and bomb response teams visited a south Canberra home on Thursday morning, when the man, aged in his 40s, was arrested.
He faced the ACT Magistrates Court later in the day, placing his head in his hands and muttering to himself when refused bail.
"I'm satisfied there's a likelihood that [the man] may engage in further offending if released on bail," magistrate James Lawton said.
Police allege the man sent the woman a photo of a pipe bomb on Wednesday night and threatened to use it against her.
Officers negotiated with the man in the early hours of Thursday before he was charged with multiple family violence allegations, said to span the past six months.
His charges include threatening to kill, threatening to distribute intimate images, threatening to inflict grievous bodily harm and assault.
The full-time public servant, who the court heard shared a mortgage with the alleged victim, did not enter pleas.
"He will lose his employment and subsequently the mortgage repayments won't be met," a Legal Aid lawyer said of her client being remanded in custody.
The court also heard the man had sent hundreds of messages to the woman, threatened to kill her using napalm and distribute intimate images to her family.
A prosecutor said police documents outlined an escalation in the nature of those text messages, which allegedly included "videos of things exploding".
"The defendant has no regard for any repercussions," she said.
"There have been threats of harm and death."
The man was also charged with two counts of contravening a family violence order and aggravated dangerous driving.
He is set to face court again 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.
