Ex-Bachelor Star Sam Wood Makes New Bid for Release from Jail

Former The Bachelor star and influencer Sam Wood is preparing to challenge a court ruling that denied him bail over alleged domestic violence offences.

Wood, 46, was refused bail in the Supreme Court of Queensland on the Friday after his arrest on October 3.

Prosecutors allege that Wood strangled and assaulted his wife, Snezana, during a stay at a luxury apartment in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast that night.

Following the initial decision to refuse his release, he was transferred to a maximum-security prison in Brisbane.

Wood later challenged the original bail decision, but the Supreme Court rejected his appeal last Friday.

He will now take the matter to the Court of Appeal, with the latest bail hearing expected to take place this week.

His legal team has offered a $1 million surety, as well as two potential addresses where he could stay if released—one in Queensland and another in Tasmania.

However, previous court findings determined that the proposed conditions did not sufficiently reduce the alleged risk of reoffending or the potential danger to the community.

During an earlier bail hearing, a judge referred to a witness statement about the alleged October 3 attack.

The witness claimed they were inside the apartment and heard “gasping and a voice becoming muffled” while Wood allegedly assaulted Snezana.

According to the statement, Snezana was allegedly “pushed against [a] wall with hands around her throat”. She reportedly felt Wood’s grip tighten and was unable to breathe or yell.

She then allegedly “slumped… on the floor” and was seen holding her neck.

The court also heard allegations about the state of Wood’s marriage, including claims of alcohol and drug use, frequent arguments and an earlier alleged choking incident in 2021.

Defence barrister Paula Morreau told the court that Snezana had described significant strain in the relationship during the month before the alleged assault.

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“They are expected to separate. There was alleged drug use, alcohol use and a party lifestyle, but it is not suggested Wood suffered from addiction,” she said.

Morreau acknowledged that Wood had struggled with anger and irritation, but said he typically removed himself from confrontations and “had the capacity for self-control”.

“While he struggled with anger and irritation, he usually leaves and takes time and is willing to avoid confrontation,” she said.

Ms Morreau said the current allegations ‘were supported by another witness’, while the allegations concerning the earlier incident remained untested.

The court heard Snezana had kept photographs from an alleged incident in 2021 in which she claimed Wood had choked her. 

Crown Prosecutor Jessica Guy told the court Wood’s ‘conduct has escalated’ and said police had been called over the previous alleged choking incident in 2021.

She pointed to ‘a number of serious features’ of the October 3 Noosa incident.

‘It was for an extended period of time, there was a degree of force, her ability to speak was removed.

‘Snezana tried to remove his hand or hands from her neck when she hit the skirting board, and he was not deterred despite it occurring largely in the presence of an adult witness and near young children.’

Wood’s lawyers lodged the submission to appeal the second bail refusal on Monday.

They are expected to argue that Wood risks spending longer in jail before his trial than he would if convicted.

Additionally, they could argue the judge did not properly consider how bail conditions would reduce the alleged risk of Wood reoffending.

READ MORE: The open secret about Sam Wood’s drug use that tore apart his marriage

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