The father of NRL star David Fifita is accused of breaking into an elderly man’s house as he slept during an alleged crime spree spanning several months, a court has been told.
Siaosi Teisina Fifita applied for bail in Brisbane Supreme Court on a raft of charges, some of which include entering a dwelling with intent, failing to appear at court and numerous offences of driving unlicensed and unregistered.
Mr Fifita’s son David, who plays for the Gold Coast Titans, is not accused of any wrongdoing.
On Monday, his lawyer Emily Lewsey said Mr Fifita risked serving too much time in custody for the alleged offences upon his sentencing, which were described as not being as serious in the circumstances.
The court was told Mr Fifita had already spent 50 days in pre-sentence custody on remand.
“There’s still some delay – the matter is not yet in a position to be finalised in Richlands Magistrates Court,” Ms Lewsey said.
She said it was anticipated her client would plead guilty to the majority of offences upon negotiation of the facts.
Ms Lewsey argued her client was willing to comply with stringent conditions, including a curfew and submitting clean drug and alcohol tests, if he were granted bail.
According to an affidavit filed by his ex-wife, Mr Fifita suffered from “significant mental and physical impairment”.
Supreme Court Justice Sean Cooper said he had “little confidence” when considering Mr Fifita’s past history of failing to turn up to court.
The court was told Mr Fifita was alleged to have entered a home on February 19 last year through a sliding door after trying to open a window.
“As he was moving around the kitchen, he disturbed an elderly man who was sleeping,” Justice Cooper said.
“When approached … there was a short discussion and the applicant then shortly left.”
Days later, Mr Fifita was alleged to have been driving a car with plates belonging to another vehicle while he was unlicensed.
Police followed him into a driveway, where he was found hiding behind some bins in a garden.
“The occupants of the address did not know the applicant,” Justice Cooper said.
“His presence in the garden is the basis for the trespass offence.”
Other alleged offences included Mr Fifita driving a car with the wrong licence plates attached while unlicensed and uninsured and refusing to provide a sample to police when they stopped him for an RBT.
He is also accused of failing to turn up to courts in Brisbane and Richlands on separate dates.
The court was told Mr Fifita had previous convictions for failing to appear and other offences that breached previous court orders.
“That history leaves me with little confidence that the imposition of conditions will act to reduce … risks in any meaningful way,” Justice Cooper said.
He ultimately refused Mr Fifita’s bail.
Mr Fifita’s charges will be mentioned at Richlands Magistrates Court on Friday.
Originally published as Father of NRL star David Fifita accused of trespass, break-in in months-long crime spree, court told