Accused One Nation volunteer attacker withdrawing from drugs, hearing voices

A man accused of attacking a One Nation volunteer outside his home is withdrawing from drugs and had been hearing voices before the incident, a court has heard.

Hampton Park man Kj Seumalu, 37, faced Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday on serious assault charges following his arrest at Torquay nine days ago.

Defence lawyer Elena Felekos made no application to free her client on bail but raised a raft of health-related custody management issues.

This, she said, included that Seumalu had high blood pressure, was withdrawing from methamphetamine, had a drinking problem and was hearing voices.

Felekos said that while her client had no formal psychiatric diagnosis, he was unmedicated and had experienced depression and anxiety.

Magistrate John Lesser ordered the man be seen by a custody nurse with police given until December 21 to prepare and serve their brief of evidence.

This, he said, included properly formatting CCTV and body-worn camera footage.

“Mr Seumalu, the next court date will be the 23rd of February next year for what’s called a committal mention,” Lesser said.

“I’ll remand you until that date, noting no application for bail is being made today.”

Police allege Seumalu attacked the One Nation volunteer with a blunt object, and damaged corflutes, outside a Surf Coast home about 7.45pm on November 1.

Earlier that day, police said they intercepted Seumalu’s car on Blackgate Road in Mount Duneed about 4.20pm, a few kilometres from the Torquay property.

He allegedly returned a positive breath test and had his vehicle impounded, but smashed the windows of his own vehicle during the incident.

Seumalu was later arrested and charged with intentionally causing injury and other offences.

Police said the incident was not being treated as politically motivated, but it prompted One Nation leader Pauline Hanson to visit the injured man in Geelong hospital.

She said that a teenage boy was allegedly damaging a One Nation corflute outside the victim’s property, prompting the 60-year-old man to confront him and Seumalu.

The injured man has since been released from hospital, while the teenager has been issued with a caution.

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