Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Former Bachelor star Sam Wood has launched a fresh bid for bail after being transferred to a notorious high-security prison housing some of the country’s most infamous offenders.
Wood’s lawyers have lodged a new application in the Queensland Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for November 4.
The fresh bid comes after Wood was refused bail at Maroochydore Magistrates Court following his arrest on the Sunshine Coast.
The 46-year-old was arrested at a property on Hastings St in Noosa, Sunshine Coast, on October 3 and charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting.
He is accused of assaulting his wife, Snezana, during a family holiday in the popular holiday destination.
Wood has been held at Wolston Correctional Centre in Wacol, Brisbane, since his bail was refused.
He has been moved to a separate wing under a safety order designed to protect him from other prisoners who may target him following his arrest.
He is also subject to regular welfare checks, with his lawyer previously telling the court Wood was suffering from “extremely severe” depression.
The prison houses some of Queensland’s most notorious offenders, including convicted killers Brett Peter Cowan and Gerard Baden-Clay.
During Wood’s initial bail hearing, prosecutors cited the seriousness of the charges and concerns he could flee Queensland.
They pointed to his Melbourne home, lack of local connections, and resources to leave the jurisdiction.
The court heard the alleged incident began after the family returned from dinner, when Snezana wanted to pack for their flight home the following morning while Wood wanted to go to bed.
Acting Magistrate Janelle Boegheim told the court Wood allegedly yelled at Snezana and pushed her into a wardrobe.
The pair then moved into the hallway, where Snezana’s daughter Eve, 21, reportedly told Wood to stop yelling at her mother.
The court heard Wood allegedly moved aggressively towards Eve, prompting Snezana to step between them and tell him to leave her daughter alone.
Wood allegedly grabbed Snezana by the throat, threw her against a wall and then onto the floor, restricting her airway.
The court heard Snezana told police she feared she would die and had been choked to the “cessation of breath”.
The alleged incident stopped when Eve yelled out, and she later called triple-0.
Wood denies the allegations. His lawyer, Mathew Cuskelly, told the court his client denied strangling his wife and may argue self-defence, alleging Snezana moved towards him and continued yelling before he pushed her away.
Wood rose to fame on The Bachelor Australia in 2015, where he met Snezana, before building a fitness and nutrition business around his 28-day program.
He sold the business to Melbourne-based myDNA in a $71 million deal in 2022 but remained its public face.
Following the charges, pharmaceutical company DBG Health, which now owns the business, terminated its commercial arrangements with Wood.
His name and logo have since been painted over at his Brighton East gym, while “by Sam Wood” has been dropped from the brand, now known simply as 28.
Wood’s fresh bail application will be heard in the Queensland Supreme Court on November 4.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
In an emergency, call 000.
Advice and counselling for men concerned about their use of family violence: Men’s Referral Service, 1300 766 491.
