A Sydney man whose home was compulsorily acquired by the state government for the WestConnex motorway project is facing Christmas in jail after he was refused bail for allegedly breaking into his former house.
Van Ngo, 68, was charged with damaging property and entering a premises without a lawful excuse after he allegedly broke into his former home at 84 Campbell Street, in St Peters in Sydney's inner west, hours after being evicted.
Until his eviction and arrest on Friday, Mr Ngo was the last remaining home owner along a strip of houses in Campbell Street that have been acquired by the state government for the $16.8 billion WestConnex motorway project.
On Tuesday, Mr Ngo's bail application was refused in Central Local Court, leaving him facing up to a month in Silverwater prison while his lawyers prepare another bail application in the Supreme Court.
It is understood Mr Ngo has no criminal record.
However, he had allegedly made "a number of threats" to NSW Roads and Maritime Services, which is overseeing the WestConnex compulsory acquisitions, in the lead-up to Friday's eviction, a spokesman from RMS said on Friday.
Mr Ngo's son, Anthony, said his father had been left aggrieved by the compulsory acquisition and became further distressed after police arrived to forcibly evict him on Friday.
"He hadn't agreed on a final price to be paid for the compensation for the house," he said.
"He just didn't think it was fair to take his house when negotiations weren't completed."
Mr Ngo was initially arrested about noon on Friday for allegedly breaching the peace after refusing to vacate the Campbell street property, where he had lived with his family for more than two decades. Police also confiscated a knife from his possession.
His arrest was filmed by a member of the WestConnex Action Group, which is opposed to the motorway.
The footage showed Mr Ngo arguing with police before being escorted into a paddy wagon. He was taken to Newtown police station but was released a short time later.
However, he was arrested again and subsequently charged after he returned to his former home and allegedly broke into the property.
Anthony Ngo rejected the perception that his father posed a threat to the community and the workers at the construction site.
"He has been a big part of the community and everyone knows him," he said.
A temporary fence has since been erected around Mr Ngo's former home with signs warning that demolition works are under way.
A total of 427 properties are marked for acquisition for the WestConnex project, 111 of which are yet to be acquired.
