Dean Cluney faces court over domestic violence charges

Dean Cluney will return to Griffith Local Court on 21 June. Photo: Oliver Jacques.

A Griffith man has been remanded in custody to appear again in Griffith Local Court on 21 June and 6 July 2023 charged over two separate instances of alleged domestic violence.

Dean Cluney was charged with aggravated break and enter and two counts of stalking or intimidation with intent to cause fear of physical harm. He was also charged with two counts of intentionally choking without consent, common assault, and stalking/intimidating to cause fear of physical harm.

The 32-year-old did not apply for bail and it was formally refused by Magistrate Trevor Khan, who also issued a prisoner order for Cluney to be returned to the Junee correctional facility.

Cluney was in the correctional centre when he was charged by police over an incident on 9 March.

Murrumbidgee Police were called to a home on Cudgel Street, Yanco, following reports an 18-year-old woman had been allegedly assaulted and threatened by Cluney.

Then on 4 April, police were again called to Cudgel St. This time it is alleged a rear door had been kicked in and a resident allegedly threatened.

About 15 minutes later, four people died in a fatal single-vehicle crash when a Hyundai Getz crashed into a pole and rolled down an embankment into a water channel at the intersection of Research and Toorak Roads in Yanco.

Police said emergency services found a 36-year-old woman, her two sons aged 10 and 11, and her 12-year-old nephew dead at the scene.

The next day (5 April), detectives arrested Cluney at a unit in Griffith and charged him with domestic violence offences. No charges have been laid in relation to the crash.

Police commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack on the 18-year-old girl and, following extensive inquiries, detectives attended Junee correctional facility on 3 May and charged Cluney. He was remanded in custody to appear in court over those matters on 21 June.

The other matters were adjourned to 6 July.