Former councillor Lance Bagster traumatised by chopper crash when he breached intervention orders, court hears
Former Burnside councillor Lance Bagster says he was suffering from PTSD because of a 1996 Black Hawk helicopter crash when he breached several court orders.
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- Former councillor Lance Bagster allegedly breached intervention orders
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Former Burnside councillor Lance Bagster was severely depressed and dealing with the trauma of a Black Hawk helicopter crash when he breached intervention orders sought by council staff and elected members, a court has heard.
Bagster was given an 18-month good behaviour bond — without conviction — in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday for breaching intervention orders eight times by sending emails to council staff and elected members.
They had occurred between October 31, 2017 and January 16, 2018.
The Messenger understands the intervention orders were sought in September, 2017.
Under the rulings, Bagster was banned from contacting or publishing information about the seven people who sought the orders.
A statement on the council’s website dated September 2017 said the application for orders was made following alleged “ongoing intimidation and threatening behaviours” by Bagster.
The court was told last week by Bagster’s psychiatrist of more than two years, Dr Nicholas Ford, that the former councillor was exposed to incidents during his career as an army pilot which were “deeply traumatic” and were triggered by his work on the council.
Dr Ford, who has been treating Bagster since July 2017 following an “urgent referral” from the Edinburgh RAAF base, said the former councillor suffered “multiple instances of trauma” before the breaches, including time served in Afghanistan.
The court heard Bagster was charged with recovering bodies from a Black Hawk helicopter crash in Townsville in 1996, some of whom were those of friends.
“He was quite distressed by the death of the SAS troopers,” Dr Ford said.
“Recovering a body is never easy after a helicopter crash. The bodies are fragmented. That stayed with him.
“He had a high startle response. (He) became very sad and reflective on the matter in question.”
Bagster became suicidal after many years “dedicated to the military cause”, and was eventually hospitalised in late 2017.
He also struggled with insomnia, which he tried to treat with alcohol.
“I had significant concerns with him,” he said.
“(There was) an increase in despair and despondency.”
However, Dr Ford described Bagster as a “resilient individual” and there was no risk of future offending.
“The thought of Lance being physically dangerous to others never crossed my mind,” he said.
“He’s a very intelligent man — highly skilled.”
Bagster’s legal representative, Martin Anders, told the court his client was acting with “diminished capacity” when he sent the emails.
“Mr Bagster was not functioning as he ordinarily would,” Mr Anders told the court.
“He was suffering from diminished capacity at the operative time.”
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Former Burnside councillor Peter Ford and former Burnside mayor Jim Jacobsen also provided written character references.
Magistrate John Fahey said on Monday he was satisfied Bagster was unlikely to offend again.
“You are remorseful and apologised for your breaches,” Mr Fahey said
“(I am) satisfied you are a man of good character who has served our country.”
A 43 further charges of allegedly breaching orders were withdrawn before the hearing.
