A man accused of stealing two mobile phones from the hospital room of a man who lost his wife and daughter in a horror Christmas Day car crash has a lengthy criminal history, a court has heard.
Mark Graham Newstead, 51, faced Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with nine offences including two counts of stealing.
Police allege Newstead sneaked into the Princess Alexandra Hospital room of Laurie Tritton over the weekend and stole the phones.
Mr Tritton and his daughter Tameka are recovering in hospital after the crash on Brisbane's bayside on December 25 that claimed the lives of his wife Karin and youngest daughter Makayla.
It's understood the phones, which have been recovered, belonged to Mr Tritton and his wife and contain photos of the family.
Newstead is also accused of stealing the wallet of another patient and going on a spending spree.
Newstead's lawyer Bettina Webb said her client had "personality concerns" and had been struggling with his mental health following a suicide attempt by his wife.
"He acknowledges he has to see mental health to get some assistance," Ms Webb told the court.
Magistrate Gary Finger refused bail, citing a "20-page criminal history", deeming Newstead to be an unacceptable risk of re-offending or failing to appear in court.
It's unclear if Newstead was aware of Mr Tritton's circumstances when he allegedly stole the phones.
He has been remanded in custody to appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on January 19.
The driver of the BMW sedan which collided with the Trittons' Mitsubishi sedan in Manly West is due to face Wynnum Magistrates Court on January 15 after being charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and dangerous operation of a vehicle causing grievous bodily harm.
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