Former Bachelor star Sam Wood is preparing to make another bail application, taking his case to Queensland’s highest court.
The 46-year-old fitness influencer will seek bail in the Supreme Court after his initial application was rejected in connection with domestic violence charges on the Sunshine Coast.
Wood has been accused of throwing his wife against a wall, choking her and striking her head against the floor at a holiday unit in Noosa, north of Brisbane.
The allegations emerged during a bail hearing that was dismissed at Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Wood’s solicitor, Mathew Cuskelly, confirmed on Friday that his client would apply for bail in the Queensland Supreme Court.
“Those are the instructions that I have received,” he told AAP.
The Melbourne-based reality television personality has spent several nights in custody since his arrest over the weekend.
The court heard on Thursday that Wood’s 21-year-old stepdaughter, Eve Markoski-Wood, called police on Saturday night after reporting that he had harmed her mother, fellow Bachelor star Snezana Wood, at the Noosa property.
Sam Wood is taking his bail application to Queensland’s highest court after being refused bail on Thursday
The reality television star and fitness entrepreneur is being held at Brisbane Correctional Centre while his bail bid is considered
Life in custody follows strict routines, including communal meal periods
Prosecutors allege Wood seized his wife by the throat with one hand before throwing her into a wall.
He allegedly continued holding her throat while she was on the ground, restricting her ability to breathe, the court was told.
“She thought she was going to die,” police prosecutor Jeanette Grigoris said of Ms Wood.
Sergeant Grigoris alleged that Ms Wood was choked to the point of “cessation of breath” before her head was hit against the floor.
The court also heard that Ms Wood had allegedly been seriously assaulted by her husband in Victoria three or four years ago, although no charges were brought over that incident.
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Mr Cuskelly told the court that Wood denied strangling his wife and said his account of events could support a claim of self-defence.
“There were hostilities,” he said.
“The complainant has moved towards him and continued to yell at him.
“He pushed her away. There is denial of any strangulation.”
The incident is alleged to have occurred at the couple’s apartment at La Mer in Noosa (pictured)
It is alleged a row broke out as the couple were packing their belongings to return home to Melbourne, and Snezana was pushed into a wardrobe before Eve (pictured above) intervened
Sam Wood (pictured with wife Snezana) has gone from a life of luxury to being locked up in a notorious high-security prison
Acting Magistrate Janelle Boegheim rejected the bail application, describing the prosecution case as relatively strong.
She said consideration for bail could be revisited if the strength of the case changed.
A Wood family statement addressing the charges was earlier shared on Instagram with his 253,000 followers and his wife’s 330,000 followers.
‘We are working through this as a family and are thoroughly co-operating with the authorities,’ it said.
Wood earned a national profile as a star of The Bachelor’s third season in 2015, launching 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.
Wood has been charged with the domestic violence offence of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting.
Mr Cuskelly earlier claimed Wood would defend the charges.
