Four people arrested in Maryborough this week over a series of violent aggravated burglaries remained in custody after appearing separately in court in Bendigo on Wednesday, February 21.
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Of the alleged offenders who appeared before magistrates Huynh and Jarrod Williams, one was heavily pregnant, another drug addicted and a third, in custody for the first time, was affected by "vulnerabilities", the court heard.
The fourth, a 17-year-old male who cannot be named because of his age, had a developmental disorder, a possible acquired brain injury and a current physical injury, according to his lawyer.
The Magistrates' Court heard the case against the co-accused was a complex one that involved accessing telephone intercepts from NSW police.
The prosecution sought a period of around four months for the police to prepare but Magistrate Trieu Huynh reduced the proposed timeframe for the matter to return to court to just over three months.
One of the accused heavily pregnant
Thirty-four-year-old Rachel Bristow - or McEachran-Bristow - appeared by videolink from the Bendigo watchhouse and confirmed to Mr Williams she was 37 weeks pregnant.
Ms Bristow, who police described as of no fixed address, told her lawyer, Damien Pitts, she was experiencing pregnancy-related health problems and wanted to be transferred to prison.
"She's repeatedly instructed not to seek bail but to be remanded directly to Dame Phyllis Frost, where she will receive medical attention," Mr Pitts said.
Ms Bristow is charged with a suite of offences, including aggravated home invasion with a machete; armed robbery of a $500 mobile phone; kidnapping; and intentionally causing serious injury at Carisbrook on February 7.
She is also charged with a home invasion carrying a long arm rifle at Sebastopol on February 10; home invasion with a long arm rifle at Clunes on February 19; and stealing a car valued at $8000 and dishonestly retaining stolen number plates at Bendigo on February 20 .
The court heard Ms Bristow was on bail for other matters when she was charged on February 21 and was also subject to a drug treatment order but had told Mr Pitts she wasn't currently withdrawing from any substances.
Matthew Tonga Henry trembling in dock
Twenty-six-year-old Matthew Tonga Henry, who according to his lawyer, was withdrawing from drugs and alcohol, was visibly trembling in the dock.
Madeleine Mein, from Legal Aid, said he had also been injured during his arrest on Tuesday and needed to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Mr Henry is charged with aggravated home invasion with a long arm rifle; armed robbery of a $500 mobile phone; kidnapping; and intentionally causing serious injury at Carisbrook on February 7.
He is also charged with aggravated home invasion with a long arm rifle; armed robbery of a phone, coins and documents valued at $2000; and imprisoning and detaining a person against their will at Golden Square on February 9.
He also face charges of aggravated home invasion with a long arm rifle at Sebastopol, on February 10.
Other charges include stealing a Kia Rio valued at $20,000; possessing a firearm while prohibited from doing so; driving without a licence; and committing an indictable offence while on bail in Maryborough on February 20.
Jamie Harrison yet to decide about bail application
The third adult accused to appear in the Magistrates' Court was Jamie - or Jamie-Lee - Harrison.
The 26-year-old had yet to decide whether she would apply for bail, Legal Aid lawyer Kathleen Lawn said.
Ms Harrison, who identified as Aboriginal, suffered from depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder and may be withdrawing from drugs, Ms Lawn said.
She is charged with the aggravated burglaries at Carisbrook, Sebastopol and Clunes; the armed robbery of a mobile phone and with kidnap at Carisbrook; possessing an imitation firearm and a longarm weapon without a licence; and the theft of a Hyundai i30 valued at $35,000 on February 7.
She is also charged with the theft of a $40,000 Land Rover Range Rover on February 7, a $15,000 Toyota Camry on February 19, an $80,000 Mercedes Benz on February 19 and a $20,000 Kia Rio on February 20.
All four accused are due back in court on May 29.
