Melvin Mitchell, accused of assaulting his wife of almost 12 years, Rosalie Mitchell, and her mother, Hyacinth Green, was granted $20,000 bail on the condition that he had no contact with his estranged wife when the case was called up yesterday.

The Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court was told by Rosalie that she suspected her husband of being 'wild' and so decided to move out of their marital home, taking their child with her.

She said after she left, Melvin turned up at the school where she taught and demanded that she return to the marital home. She said after refusing his request, Melvin showed her a bottle of gas and a lighter, threatening to kill her. 'So I rush him and suck on to him Your Honour,' she said.

She said a tussle developed between them during which both herself and her mother were assaulted by Melvin in the presence of her three-year-old students.

Melvin, however, gave a differing version, stating that he had neither gas nor lighter.

Resident Magistrate Glen Brown ordered that Melvin replace his wife's cellphone, valued at $20,000, that was damaged in the incident.

The couple returns to court on August 27.