Re Houldcroft [2026] VSC 198 (8 April 2026)

(2) Not change his place of residence without leave of the court, or the prior written consent of Detective Senior Constable Ranai Cullen ("the Informant").

(3) Remain at the Residence between 9.00pm and 5.00am each day ("the Curfew Hours").

(4) Present himself at the front door of the Residence during the Curfew Hours if and when called upon by a member of Victoria Police to do so.

(5) Report to the officer in charge of the [nominated police station], or her or his nominee, once every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between the hours of 6.00am and 8.00pm.

(6) Only possess one mobile phone and provide the phone and international mobile equipment identity numbers to the Informant.

(7) Not use any end-to-end encrypted messaging applications.

(8) Produce any mobile phone in his possession for inspection at the request of any member of Victoria Police.

(9) Not have, or have access to, any other electronic device (other than the mobile phone referred to in (6)) capable of sending or receiving messages, other than one laptop computer for the purpose of preparing for his legal proceedings.

(10) Not use a drug of dependence within the meaning of section 4 of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic), other than as prescribed by a medical practitioner.

(11) Attend for treatment with, and obey all lawful directions of, Maria Hutchison.

(12) Undergo urine analysis testing a minimum of once each week, and also undergo random urine analysis as directed by Ms Hutchison as part of the "Living Free Program", with all urine analysis results to be provided to Ms Hutchison in the first instance, and with Ms Hutchison to provide those urine analysis results to the Informant, or her nominee, upon identification of a positive screening result indicating the presence of an illicit substance.

(13) Not contact witnesses for the prosecution other than the Informant.

(15) Surrender any travel document to the Informant within 24 hours of release and not apply for another.

(16) Not attend any points of international departure.

(19) Attend the County Court of Victoria at Melbourne at 9.30am on 3 September 2026, and there surrender and not depart without leave of the court and, if leave is given, return at the time specified by the court and again surrender into custody.

[1] That is, 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine.

[2] Evidence concerning the validity of one or more of the signatures on the lease was adduced.

[5] Bail Act 1977 (Vic), s 1B(1AA).

[6] Bail Amendment (Tough Bail) Bill 2025 (Vic), Explanatory Memorandum, cl 4.

[7] Re SL [2025] VSC 571, [35] (Incerti J).

[8] Re Cartledge (Bail Application) [2025] VSC 177, [41] (Taylor JA).

[9] Bail Act, s 4.

[10] Bail Act, sch 1, item 6(a).

[11] Ibid, s 4AA(1).

[12] Ibid, s 4A(1A).

[13] See, for example, Re Brown [2019] VSC 751, [65] (Lasry J), and the cases there cited.

[15] Bail Act, s 4D(a).

[16] Ibid, s 4E(3)(b).

[17] Ibid, s 4E(1).

[18] Hall v Pangemanan [2018] VSC 533, [25] (Croucher J).

[19] Bail Act, s 4E(2).

[20] Ibid, ss 4A(3), 4E(3)(a).

[21] Ibid, s 5AAA(1).

[22] Ibid, s 5AAA(2).

[23] See McNally & Doble v The King [2025] VSCA 231, [85]-[86] (Beach, Kennedy and Orr JJA).

[24] See par 74(2) above.

[25] Re Jiang [2021] VSC 148, [60] (Lasry J); Zayneh v The King [2023] VSCA 311, [5]-[7] (Walker, Taylor and Boyce JJA).

[26] His only other asset of any significant value is his car.

[27] The primary risk relied upon by the prosecution was the risk of endangering the safety or welfare of any person: see Bail Act, s 4E(1).