Sam Wood held in high-security prison after failed bid for freedom

Sam Wood is being held at a high-security prison in Brisbane after being denied bail on serious domestic violence charges over allegations he choked and assaulted his wife, Snezana.

The 46-year-old millionaire fitness guru was moved by Queensland police from a watchhouse in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane Correctional Centre, in the outer south-west suburb of Wacol. He arrived about 9pm on Thursday.

Wood’s barrister, Mathew Cuskelly, confirmed on Friday afternoon that a further bail application to the Supreme Court was “subject to instructions”.

All inmates at the prison in Wacol are entitled to at least two hours of fresh air exercise each day.

Cuskelly did not discuss his client’s condition behind bars. When asked about next steps, he referred to his comments outside court on Thursday, where he had indicated Wood’s legal team would apply for bail in the Supreme Court.

Wood was denied bail by Acting Magistrate Janelle Boegheim, as details of the case against him were revealed for the first time.

Wood’s wife, Snezana, told police she feared he would kill her during an argument about packing when returning to their luxury holiday unit on Hastings Street in Noosa.

He allegedly threw her into a wall twice before choking her and banging her head on the floor, prompting her daughter Eve Markoski-Wood to call Triple Zero.

The court heard Wood attacked his wife after he aggressively approached Markoski-Wood and Snezana placed herself between the two.

“While keeping a firm hold of [Snezana], he has thrown her to the ground and whilst on the ground held her throat, gripping tighter and restricting her airway, preventing her from breathing,” Boegheim said.

“She was scared and thought [her husband] was going to kill her.

“She said to police that during the ordeal she thought that this was it and her life was going to end.”

Snezana allegedly suffered bruising to the upper left side of her forehead and grazes to her hands.

The court heard Wood was prone to anger, and that Snezana felt she had to walk on eggshells.

Boegheim said Wood had recalled pushing his wife away, but explicitly denied strangling or harming his wife in any way.

She determined Wood would be an unacceptable risk if released.

After appearing on The Bachelor, Wood went on to build online fitness and nutrition business 28 by Sam Wood. It was bought by billionaire businessman Dennis Bastas in 2022 for $71 million.

The case will return to court on November 23, 2026.

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