A man who is accused of stabbing his partner and setting her on fire has been refused bail at a Ballarat court.
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Christian Karpinski is facing 53 charges relating to incidents of family violence against his partner of 12 months, including aggravated burglary and reckless conduct endangering life.
Detective Acting Sergeant Christopher Brown said Karpinski allegedly stabbed his partner in the upper thigh with a knife after an argument at his mother's home in May 2019.
He is accused of biting his partner on the nose, leaving teeth marks, in August 2019.
The court heard Karpinski allegedly attended the motel his partner had moved to in the early hours of August 14, 2019, used a chair to smash a window and gain entry into her room.
Police allege he poured lighter fluid on the woman and set her hair on fire.
The court heard the woman was scared Karpinski was going to kill her. She suffered burns to her ear, face, fingers and hair and cuts from the smashed window.
Detective Acting Sergeant Brown said Karpinski posted videos of the couple having sex on social media later that morning and made other threatening posts before he was arrested.
This was only eight days after he was released from prison for previous family violence incidents relating to the same woman and he was on a community corrections order at the time of the alleged offending.
The court heard Karpinski has allegedly constantly contacted his partner via phone, letter or through his brother since he has been in custody.
The controlling nature is terrifying to the extreme and there is no doubt she would have been terrified out of her mind.
- Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg
The contact included alleged threats to kill the woman and her child.
Police allege Karpinski asked the woman where she wanted to be buried and said he would pay her $20,000 if she withdrew her statement to police.
The court heard in April of this year, Karpinski allegedly left a voicemail on the woman's phone saying 'pick up the phone you dog, I am going to blow your brains out the minute I get out'.
"She is petrified she will be killed if the accused is released on bail," Detective Acting Sergeant Brown said.
Defence lawyer Manny Brennan argued Karpinski met exceptional circumstances for bail because of the significant delay in his case due to COVID-19 and the anxiety experienced by prisoners during the pandemic.
He said a trial date could be another two years away and Karpinski had the support of his mother who he would live with if released on bail.
Crown prosecutor Jordan O'Toole said the delay expected in this case did not meet exceptional circumstances because it was likely a lengthy sentence would be imposed.
He said Karpinski was an unacceptable risk of endangering the safety of his partner and the public if released on bail.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg said the offending was an 'atrocious' saga of intimidation, threats, abuse and violence.
"The controlling nature is terrifying to the extreme and there is no doubt she would have been terrified out of her mind," he said.
"I am convinced he is an unacceptable risk of committing further offences, interfering with witnesses and endangering the safety of the complainant.
"He has maintained his abuse of the complainant in custody."
Karpinski has served 293 days in custody. He will remain in custody until his committal hearing in January, 2021.