Police have arrested a Melbourne man suspected of loitering outside a Moyne Shire primary school in a stolen car.
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The man was allegedly observed with another man in a stolen black BMW wagon outside the school on Tuesday, September 5.
One of the men went into the school office inquiring about his nephew but was told by staff the child wasn't a student there.
Police patrolled the township and found the car parked at a nearby property.
The two men were inside the house.
Investigations revealed the car had been reported stolen from a driveway in Tarneit, west of Melbourne.
Police allege the BMW had false, hand-made registration plates attached with velcro.
A search of the car allegedly found a taser and another prohibited weapon.
Police allege one of the men was prohibited from being within 200 metres of the school because of a family violence intervention order protecting his daughter.
He was arrested and transported to a nearby police station.
He was already on three counts of bail for allegations of driving offences, including drug-driving, and stealing $448 of power tools from Bunnings Warehouse.
The man, who cannot be named because that could identify his daughter, was charged with offences and appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court the following day.
He is also charged with allegedly activating a function on his daughter's phone on July 30 which allowed him to track her.
The victim was alerted to the function being turned on, causing her anxiety and distress, the court heard.
The man then deleted the application allowing him to track the child.
The court heard the man was currently the subject of a Sexual Offences and Child-abuse Investigation Team investigation.
In a bail application, Lucy Tribe, representing the man, said he had recently purchased the car for $3000 and didn't know it was stolen.
She said he attended the school in an attempt to see his son and didn't think he was within 200 metres of his daughter.
The court heard it was the accused man's brother who had asked the school staff about his nephew.
A police prosecutor and Magistrate Ann McGarvie agreed that was likely an excuse to get around the intervention order.
But the magistrate said the man had shown compelling reasons why he should be released back into the community, but with strict conditions.
Bail was granted. The man must live in Melbourne and not go within 200 metres of the township where the alleged offending took place.
He will appear in court again on September 28.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; MensLine 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732.
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Jessica Howard
jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
