A MAN will remain behind bars accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman, sparking a police manhunt from the Hunter to Glen Innes.
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Garry Lyall Fletcher was ordered into Armidale Local Court on Monday following his arrest at a property in Red Range late on Saturday afternoon.
Detectives allege Fletcher breached an apprehended violence order (AVO) when he abducted the 33-year-old woman in the early hours of Friday morning, and then assaulted her.
Aboriginal Legal Service solicitor Nick Forrest told the court his client did not want to appear in court personally during the brief mention of the charges.
But Magistrate Michael Holmes ordered police to bring the 36-year-old to the courtroom, telling the court he wanted to sight the accused, following his dramatic arrest two days earlier.
Fletcher, 36, was led into the glass dock dressed in a grey shirt, shorts and was bare foot. Mr Holmes told the accused that he had wanted to check he was okay.
Mr Forrest said there was no application for bail and it was formally refused by Mr Holmes.
He’s charged with detaining a person with intent to obtain advantage occasioning actual bodily harm, aggravated sexual assault, intimidation with intent to cause fear of physical harm and contravening an AVO, demanding property with menaces, police pursuit and break, enter and steal.
He was not required to enter pleas to the eight charges, with the case referred to the DPP because of the serious nature of the charges.
Mr Holmes granted an adjournment to mid-October with detectives ordered to compile a brief of evidence.
He was expected to be transported to Tamworth Correctional Centre late on Monday.
Following the abduction, Fletcher was sighted with the woman in Glen Innes about 8am on Saturday, sparking the police manhunt.
Following a large police operation, officers cornered Fletcher at a property on Pinkett Road, Red Range, about 30 kilometres east of Glen Innes, at approximately 5.30pm on Saturday.
The woman was taken to hospital suffering minor injuries and is recovering.
The police operation involved detectives from New England, Oxley, Orana, the Central Hunter, and the from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad.