Blood-stained carpet and a mobile phone were found during a police search of a Melbourne man’s home a day after his girlfriend was reported missing by her family, a court has been told.

A number of allegedly violent incidents involving Toby Loughnane were aired in court on Thursday as the 41-year-old applied for bail on charges of recklessly causing injury and aggravated assault against Maryam Hamka.

Toby LoughnaneCredit:YouTube

The 36-year-old Brunswick woman was reported missing by her family on April 15. Mr Loughnane was arrested the day after and his Brighton home was searched. Police charged him on April 18 with assaulting Ms Hamka and he was remanded in custody.

Mr Loughnane has not been charged with any offence relating to Ms Hamka’s disappearance, however the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday heard that police believe he is involved.

Court documents show he has refused to provide police with details about the last time he saw Ms Hamka, has not co-operated with investigators and has “shown very little concern for the welfare of the victim”.

The documents also state that forensic officers who attended Mr Loughnane’s home on April 16 seized a “large portion of what appeared to be blood-stained carpet in the hallway” which is undergoing biological analysis.

36-year-old Brunswick woman Maryam Hamka has been missing since April 10.

During the hearing on Thursday, a visibly emotional woman on the video link continually held up laminated copies of newspaper articles relating to Ms Hamka’s disappearance.

Police opposed bail, arguing there was an unacceptable risk that Mr Loughnane would reoffend and that he was a flight risk.

Senior Constable Callum Turner said that in July last year, Mr Loughnane allegedly struck Ms Hamka while she was on the ground with his fists and glass bottles, before he forced a sock into her mouth and stopped her from leaving.

The court heard that at about 6am the next morning, Ms Hamka was able to leave and ran to a Coles supermarket where she approached a staff member. She was extremely upset, crying and there was blood coming from her nose.

Ms Hamka told the staff member her boyfriend had assaulted her and she believed he was going to kill her, but didn’t want to call police as she feared he “would be able to get her even if he was in prison”.

Another alleged incident not reported to police but read to the court on Thursday included an altercation at her mother’s home, where Mr Loughnane allegedly chased Ms Hamka into an upstairs bathroom. After a family member used a baseball bat to gain entry he saw Mr Loughnane allegedly holding a serrated knife.

Senior Constable Turner said police held serious concerns about granting bail.

“Police have the belief the accused has something to do with it – he has not shown remorse or assisted police whatsoever in attempting to locate her,” he said.

Maryam Hamka was last seen at a Woolworths in Brunswick on April 10.Credit:Police Media

“Her family are extremely terrified of the accused and fearful of retribution given the nature of what has been alleged.”

Senior Constable Turner also told the court that a search warrant was carried out at the accused’s home and blood and a phone were found.

Mr Loughnane’s lawyer Sam Norton said his client could live with a family friend at a rural property if he was granted bail. He told the court Mr Loughnane was entitled to the presumption of innocence and said the prosecution case was weak.

Magistrate Fran Medina refused bail. She said she took into account Mr Loughnane’s criminal history and the seriousness of the alleged incidents, and was concerned about further family violence offending.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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