August 6, 2012
A man charged with torture after allegedly tossing petrol on his de facto wife, and then walking towards her while flicking a cigarette lighter, was refused bail when he appeared in Kingaroy Magistrates’ Court this morning.
Nathan Troy Cobbo, from Cherbourg, also faced two charges of common assault and two breaches of a domestic violence order.
Magistrate John Parker said the matters, if proven to be true, were extremely serious.
He said the allegation was that Cobbo had grabbed the woman by the throat, pushed her up against the wall and then thrown her to the floor.
Police would allege Cobbo had then dowsed himself with petrol, threw fuel over the woman, and then walked towards her while flicking a blue cigarette lighter in his hand.
Mr Parker said Cobbo was already on remand for a breach of a DVO when the incidents allegedly occurred at Cherbourg on July 31 and August 2.
Mr Alan Korobacz, for Cobbo, said he believed the torture charge exaggerated the event. His client had a place to stay in Goodna, and would agree to stay away from Cherbourg.
But Mr Parker said there was an unacceptable risk that if Cobbo was released he could re-offend.
Cobbo was remanded in custody to appear in Murgon Magistrates’ Court on August 28.
