A Watsons Bay family was threatened by a knife-wielding robber during a home invasion carried out in broad daylight, a court heard on Saturday, leaving a family in "significant fear" as the home invaders allegedly sought to settle a $600 debt.
Parramatta Bail Court heard Alexander Fetuuaho Green carried out a "premeditated and pre-planned home invasion" in Dunbar Street, Watsons Bay, on January 25 armed with rope, gloves and three mobile phones.
Magistrate Les Brennan said the situation was concerning when refusing bail for an offence that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.
"He's already on a number of bonds. If someone on a bond then goes out and commits an offence like this, I'm well entitled to refer to him as a boofhead," he said.
"The community needs to be protected, the only way for this to happen is for him to be locked up."
Police documents tendered to the court said the family were "put in serious fear" and were worried the accused would return to their house.
It's alleged Mr Green, with the help of a co-accused, scaled a fence about 10.40am and removed flywire screen from a window before climbing into the house, after twice abandoning the plan in the early hours of the morning because too many people were around.
Police facts allege the pair went upstairs where they found the homeowner, Brett Galloway, sitting at a desk in his bedroom. It is alleged Mr Green walked up behind him, shoving him back into his chair when he tried to stand up and demanding the money for a drug debt.
Mr Brennan, in remanding Mr Green in custody to reappear at Central Local Court on February 5, noted the drug debt formed part of "a version" of the incident as told by the accused.
Mr Galloway's partner, Portia Galloway, and her 18-year-old daughter Lexi Collins were downstairs at the time, according to police facts.
When Mr Galloway did not give them money, Mr Green's co-accused allegedly started rummaging through drawers where he found a Breitling watch worth $20,000, a Rolex watch worth $10,000, and a brown Louis Vuitton bag with $25,000 in Euros and more than $5000 in Australian currency inside.
While Mr Green was still holding the homeowner by the shoulders, it's alleged the co-accused took the haul with him and went downstairs in search of more when he was confronted by Portia Galloway. Police allege the man pointed a 15cm kitchen knife at her and mistakenly identified her as Mr Galloway's daughter, saying he had come to get money from her dad, before leaving through the front door.
It is believed Mr Green then turned around and tried to leave when Mr Galloway tackled him from behind and wrestled with him at the top of the stairs. It's alleged Mr Green got away, climbed back out the first-floor window, scaled the fence and ran a short distance to a getaway car, where his co-accused and a driver were waiting.
When Mr Green faced court on Saturday, Police prosecutor Clint Nasr "strenuously opposed" bail, saying the matter was of "extreme seriousness" and citing the defendant's lengthy criminal history
"An accused that commits a well-planned, premeditated home invasion in broad daylight should not be on the streets," Mr Nasr said.
The court heard Mr Green was caught on CCTV entering the house and, when he was arrested on Friday morning outside his home in Leumeah, he had made "frank" admissions to investigators.
