Mt Barker man accused of ‘trashing’ a stranger’s Lathlain home and assaulting returning homeowner bailed

A Mt Barker man who allegedly spent six hours ransacking a stranger’s home — during which he left bodily fluids on a young girl’s clothing and threw a glass bottle at the returning homeowner — has been bailed. Arthur Neil Bonney, 23, is alleged to have broken into a home in Lathlain in Perth on October 28 by smashing a glass door, according to police prosecutor Sgt Gary Simpson. Sgt Simpson told the Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday Mr Bonney spent six hours inside the home, stuffing a variety of items into pillowcases before the homeowner returned to find his home “trashed” and Mr Bonney walking out of a bedroom. Sgt Simpson said after the homeowner foiled Mr Bonney’s attempt to get to the knife drawer, Mr Bonney grabbed a glass bottle of vinegar that he threw at the victim. He saids broken shards of the bottle caused cuts to the back of the man’s head. Sgt Simpson said the homeowner then chased Mr Bonney out of the house before contacting the police, who arrested Mr Bonney a short distance away after finding him on CCTV footage taken from cameras in the area. Police also identified semen on clothing belonging to the homeowner’s young daughter. Mr Bonney was charged with aggravated home burglary and commit, stealing, and aggravated armed robbery. In her bail application for Mr Bonney, who appeared in court from police custody, defence lawyer Kyah Langdon said it was “certainly not conclusive” that it was her client shown in the CCTV footage and that forensics data, including the semen, had not yet been analysed. She also requested bail so the 23-year-old could take care of his sick grandfather and address his substance abuse issues. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell acknowledged Mr Bonney’s “significant history for offences of violence and aggravated burglary”, and her “very considerable concerns” about the risk of re-offending, but ultimately decided to grant bail with strict conditions. Mr Bonney was granted bail on the condition he provide a $2000 personal undertaking, obey a curfew to remain at his grandfather’s farm in Mt Barker between 7pm and 6am every day, complete urinalysis and alcohol breathalyser testing, and report to Mt Barker police station twice a week. He will next appear in Albany Magistrates Court on November 27 for legal advice.