An immigration detainee whose release sparked national outrage after he was accused of brutally bashing a grandmother is likely to plead not guilty to the alleged crime.
Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, was freed from detention following a controversial High Court ruling in November.
Police have accused him, two other men and a woman of impersonating police officers on April 16 so as to get access to the Perth home of grandmother Ninette Simons, 73, and her 76-year-old husband, Phillip.
Once inside, it is alleged they violently beat Mrs. Simons and stole more than $200,000 in jewellery.
Mr. Doukoshkan is charged with aggravated assault, burglary, robbery, impersonating a public officer and unlawfully detaining a person to gain benefit.
He briefly appeared via video link in Perth’s Joondalup Magistrates Court on June 10, where two unrelated drug possession charges were mentioned for the first time.
Doukoshkan confirmed his name to Magistrate Rayleen Johnson and that he understood the drug charges.
He was remanded in custody at Hakea Prison for a police committal mention for all his charges on July 22.
His co-accused—Joel Leslie Painter, 35, Seyed Younes Tahami, 37 and Emmy Ruzzel Signo, 48—are also in custody and briefly appeared in the same court.
Painter and Tahami are also charged with aggravated assault, burglary and robbery, impersonating a public officer and unlawfully detaining a person to gain benefit.
Their cases were adjourned to June 28 and July 15, respectively.
Signo is charged with home burglary, robbery and impersonating a public officer. Her case was adjourned to June 19.
Outside of court, Mr. Doukoshkan’s lawyer, Bill Harris, said his client was likely to plead not guilty to the charges stemming from the incident on April 16.
More than 150 immigration detainees were released following a High Court ruling that overturned 20 years of legal precedent, finding indefinite detention unlawful when there was no prospect of resettlement.
Some of the group had serious criminal convictions, including for murder and rape, while others faced less serious charges.
All of them served their time behind bars before being placed in immigration detention.
Fierce political debate followed the court’s decision, forcing the government to quickly introduce legislation to monitor the individuals and establish a new preventative detention regime in a bid to return some to custody.
Under the orders, freed detainees could be locked up or subject to strict surveillance, with 76 of the 153 released subject to electronic monitoring and 68 to a curfew.
Home Affairs officials recently told a parliamentary hearing that 29 former detainees had allegedly reoffended and been charged with thefts, assaults, drug possession and breaching domestic violence orders.
Mr. Doukoshkan was on bail for other offences when he allegedly assaulted Ms Simons.
Of the 29 charged with further offending, 25 were subject to curfews at the time and 26 had ankle bracelets.
Several former detainees have also been charged for breaching visa rules.
