Sam Wood files appeal after being denied bail on domestic violence charges

Lawyers for former reality television personality Sam Wood, who is facing domestic violence charges, have asked for a hearing to challenge his bail refusal to be expedited.

Mr Wood, who normally resides in Melbourne, was staying at a Noosa apartment complex last month, when he was arrested.

He was charged with one count each of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation, allegedly committed against his wife Snezana Wood.

On Friday, he unsuccessfully applied for bail in the Supreme Court, after an earlier failed attempt for release.

Yesterday his lawyers flagged their intention to appeal the decision and today formally filed paperwork with the Court of Appeal (COA).

Mr Wood's legal team have asked for an expedited hearing, which is expected to be heard within the next three weeks, and could be as early as Friday.

They are set to argue in the COA that Justice Patrick McCafferty's decision to refuse bail was "unreasonable or plainly unjust".

According to court documents, it will be submitted Justice McCafferty failed to assess or consider the likely length of time Mr Wood would spend in custody before a trial.

They will also submit the judge failed to consider whether the bail conditions proposed would reduce the risk of further offending to an acceptable level.

During his most recent bail hearing, the court heard details about Mr Wood's alleged offending.

The court heard after allegedly having "several drinks" out at dinner, back in the apartment Mr Wood became involved in an argument with his wife and 21-year-old stepdaughter about packing.

During this confrontation, he allegedly told the pair they can "both die", before he allegedly grabbed his wife by the throat, and pushed her against a wall, then onto the floor, and banged her head on the way down.

His lawyer Paula Morreau KC argued in that hearing that Mr Wood, who denies the allegations, would be at risk of spending too much time in prison on remand if he was convicted.

Ms Morreau told the court it was agreed that if her client was convicted, the likely sentence would be in the range of 12 months in actual custody, and a trial was unlikely to be heard before that period.

She told the court any risks could be appropriately addressed by her client living in Tasmania with family or another approved property in Queensland.

A surety of $1 million was also offered.

When handing down his decision Justice McCafferty told the court the allegations were "extremely serious" but reiterated "they remain allegations".

Ultimately, he agreed with prosecutors who were opposing his release, ruling Mr Wood was an unacceptable risk of re-offending and his bail should be refused.

Mr Wood's lawyers will also challenge Justice McCaffety's decision not to issue a non-publication order on untested and uncharged allegations heard in the bail hearing.

The court heard this was in relation to an alleged similar incident which took place in Victoria in 2021 but did not result in any charges being laid.