Bail refused as reality TV star denies strangling wife

Source: AAP
Reality TV star turned fitness influencer Sam Wood will spend weeks behind bars after a court heard explosive allegations that he strangled his celebrity wife on their Noosa holiday.
The former face of The Bachelor, 46, appeared in Queenslandâs Maroochydore Magistrates Court via video link on Thursday on domestic violence charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting.
The court heard he allegedly grabbed Snezana Wood by the throat with one hand and threw her against a wall after an argument in the bedroom of their $3000-a-night tourist accommodation.
Wood allegedly held his wifeâs throat tightly and restricted her breathing while she was on the ground, the court heard.
The court was told his stepdaughter, Eve Markoski-Wood, 21, called police on Saturday night reporting he had harmed her mother at a unit on Noosaâs Hastings Street tourist precinct.
In mounting her opposition to bail, police prosecutor Jeanette Grigoris submitted photos of injuries Snezana allegedly sustained.
The alleged victim had given strong evidence of claims she was choked to âcessation of breathâ, before her head was banged on the floor, Grigoris said.
âShe thought she was going to die ⊠she is in fear of retribution,â she said.
Snezana had provided police with a video-recorded statement and supported the charges, said the prosecutor.

Sam Wood with wife Snezana and stepdaughter Eve. Photo: Instagram
The court heard it was not the first time the mum of four daughters had allegedly suffered domestic violence.
Snezana had allegedly been seriously assaulted by her husband three or four years ago in Victoria but he was not charged, the court heard.
âShe refers to that matter as being similar in nature and involved choking and trying to strangle her,â Grigoris said.
In opposing bail, Grigoris said Wood posed a risk of not attending court if he was released.
âHe has no connections to Queensland,â Grigoris said.
âHe does have the resources to essentially flee the jurisdiction.â
A haggard-looking Wood wore a green watchhouse-issue jumper and clasped his hands together in his lap as details were heard in the courtroom which was packed with journalists.
Woodâs father Andrew flew from Tasmania for the hearing and sat next to his sonâs barrister David Cole in the front row.
His legal team needed to prove that the Melbourne-based influencerâs ongoing custody in Queensland was not justified.
Solicitor Matthew Cuskelly said Wood had no criminal record and his version of events indicated he might be entitled to a self-defence argument.
âThere were hostilities,â Cuskelly told the court.
âThe complainant has moved towards him and continued to yell at him.
âHe pushed her away. There is denial of any strangulation.â
Cuskelly said the attending paramedicâs statement about minimal injuries seemed unusual, given the nature of and gravity of the alleged assault.
Police had not submitted medical evidence and a paramedicâs report about the alleged neck injuries, the court heard.
âWhy not?â Cuskelly said.
Wood had received a diagnosis of severe depression and anxiety resulting from personal and professional hardships and was hiding that from his family, Cuskelly said.
After an hour of submissions and a 30-minute adjournment, Acting Magistrate Janelle Boegheim handed down her bail decision late on Thursday.
âIâm not satisfied the applicant has shown cause,â she said.
She described the prosecution case as relatively strong, saying consideration for bail could be revisited if the case strength changes.
Wood was remanded in custody for the next mention of his case on November 23.
Earlier this week, a Wood family statement addressing the charges was shared on Instagram with his 253,000 followers and his wife Snezanaâs 330,000 followers.
âWe are working through this as a family and are thoroughly co-operating with the authorities,â the statement read.
Wood earned a national profile as a star of The Bachelorâs third season in 2015 where he met his wife and launched a successful home fitness business 28 By Sam Wood.
He reportedly sold it in 2022 for more than $70 million but remained the face of the online platform.
The wellness businesses behind the platform cut ties with him on Tuesday, a day after placing him on indefinite leave.
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