Third man fronts Warrnambool Magistrates Court charged with Japan Street attempted home invasion

Jacob Arndell, 30, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday where he made a successful bail application.

The man was charged with attempted home invasion as well as other charges relating to an alleged incident at a Japan Street address in Warrnambool on September 25.

Detective Senior Constable Craig Wastell, of the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit, told the court Mr Arndell attended the property at 1.45am with co-accused Jack O'Dowd, 30, Bradley Thompson, 32, and another unknown male.

He said a male and female who reside at the Japan Street property were home at the time.

Detective Senior Constable Wastell said the adults were in the dining area of the property when the four men allegedly walked down the driveway and onto a patio at the back door.

He said the men yelled out to the occupants, who refused entry to their home.

The detective said CCTV showed the four males wearing distinctive clothing and armed with various weapons, including a jemmy bar, knuckle dusters, a knife and a metal bat.

The men were allegedly wearing masks and Mr Arndell could also be seen wearing gloves, he said.

Detective Senior Constable Wastell said Mr Arndell forced open a locked door but did not enter.

He said the unknown male then smashed a kitchen window and door with a metal bat.

The court heard the female complainant rang triple-0 while her partner picked up items and threw them at the four accused men.

The group then allegedly left the property, running across Japan Street.

The male complainant went to chase the males and allegedly returned with bruising to his face, the court heard.

Detective Senior Constable Wastell said the occupants were cooperative but not willing to identify the four males or make a formal police statement.

He said a search warrant executed at Mr O'Dowd and Mr Thompson's home on September 29 allegedly located some of the distinctive clothing seen worn by the accused men in the CCTV footage, as well as a hard drive which was seized but yet to be analysed.

The detective said a search of the complainant's home on September 30 uncovered a grey hooded top with what appeared to be blood stains.

He said investigators believed the male complainant attended Mr Arndell's home prior to the alleged attempted home invasion and an assault occurred with a metal bar.

Detective Senior Constable Wastell alleged the assault on Mr Arndell resulted in him retaliating by attending the Japan Street home with his three associates.

He said Mr Arndell attended Warrnambool police station on September 30 with a laceration to his face, which police believed he sustained in the earlier alleged assault.

Detective Senior Constable Wastell told the court some items of clothing would need to be forensically examined for DNA and that could take between four and six months.

Gregory Lascaris, representing Mr Arndell, said while the allegations were inherently serious, the evidence was "at its highest very weak".

Magistrate Nunzio La Rosa said the man had showed exceptional circumstances why he should be released on bail, including stable accommodation, compliance with his correction order and full-time work as a baker.

Mr Arndell was bailed with conditions, including he report to Warrnambool police station three times a week and abide by an overnight curfew.

He will appear in court again on December 16 for a committal mention hearing.

Mr Arndell is already serving a 15-month community correction order.

Mr Thompson and Mr O'Dowd appeared in the same court on September 30, they did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody.

They'll also appear in court again in December.

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