‘Misguided emotional attachment’ leads Andrew Bown to ‘bizarre’ actions against senior policeman Don McKay

A woman who recruited a man to assault a senior Queensland Police officer allegedly said she wanted his “d*** cut off and his tongue cut out”, a Cairns court has heard.

A woman who recruited a man to assault a senior Queensland police officer allegedly said: “I want Don’s d*** cut off and his tongue cut out”, a Cairns court has heard.

The judge described the man she recruited to do the job as “a willing hitman”.

Cairns’ Andrew Bown, 59, appeared in the District Court for sentencing on Thursday on charges of arson, attempting to procure a person to do grievous bodily harm on another person, and having a dangerous thing for another person to commit a crime with it.

The “dangerous thing” Bown had in his home was sulfuric acid, the court heard.

Defence counsel Michael Dalton told the court that Bown had a “misguided emotional attachment” to the woman who recruited him.

He had met her through a medical clinic where she worked while his wife was treated for cancer in 2010.

While Mr Dalton accepted Bown’s offending was serious, he told the court that the woman had taken an increasing interest in Bown, and there was a degree of “subtle manipulation by her”.

Andrew Bown was sentenced in Cairns District Court to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, suspended after six months. Picture: Facebook

“A confluence of misguided loyalty and a hopeful romantic interest leads him to embark on a foolish and dangerous path,” Mr Dalton told the court.

Crown prosecutor Claudia Georgouras told the court that between April 1 and October 6, 2021, Bown made several attempts to find someone to assault Inspector Don McKay of Queensland Police.

The woman initially offered him between $4000 and $6000, with instructions that the complainant “should not walk or talk again”, the court heard.

She had formerly been the policeman’s partner.

High level Queensland police officer

The first man Bown recruited declined to do the job, telling Bown McKay was a high-level police officer.

In June 2021 the woman paid Bown $3000 and Bown asked another man to assault the officer.

That was when she allegedly said: “I want Don’s dick cut off and his tongue cut out”.

Bown paid another man $2000 to assault Inspector McKay, but he subsequently disappeared with the money.

The woman then offered $3000 to burn down Inspector McKay’s house, and Bown recruited a man named David Roy Junior Lui to do it.

The court was told Bown filled a container with fuel and drove Lui to the officer’s home on the evening of July 5, 2021.

Lui sprayed fuel across the front of the house and lit it with a cigarette lighter.

An arson attack at a senior police officer’s home resulted in $20,000 worth of damage. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

McKay was home and he put the fire out with a garden hose.

It caused $20,000 in damage.

Lui, who the court was told had gambling and alcohol problems, was given a two-year suspended sentence for his involvement in the arson on October 13 in the Cairns District Court.

Then in August, the woman offered $25,000 for an assault and Bown recruited another man, saying he wanted the complainant hurt, offering him $10,000.

Ms Georgouras told the court that Bown had sulfuric acid for the assault, but the man he recruited refused to use it.

On August 4 the man Bown recruited and three associates went to Inspector McKay’s home but he was not there.

The man was later arrested.

“The level of persuasion from (the woman) to the defendant was not particularly strong,” Ms Georgouras said.

“She was not threatening in her request to the defendant. She essentially says ‘I would rather they do (the acid) but whatever it is I want it done by the 10th’.”

Prosecutor calls for imprisonment

Ms Georgouras told the court Bown had engaged in “repeated and persistent attempts” at the offending over six months.

“In terms of community denunciation and deterrence a person who engages in this kind of conduct should be sentenced to a term of actual imprisonment,” she said.

In sentencing Bown, Judge Dean Morzone KC took into account his early guilty pleas, his co-operation with authorities, his relatively clean criminal history and the important role he played in the lives of his children and grandchildren.

“An offender who confesses to a crime is generally to be treated more leniently than one who has not. Some leniency ought to be afforded because of your co-operation,” he said.

The court heard that Bown has been a resident of Australia since the age of six, when his family emigrated from the UK, and he has permanent resident status but is not a citizen.

As such he would be subject to deportation to the UK if he were imprisoned for 12 months or more.

The judge’s sentence

“I’ve read the Victim Impact Statement and remarkably (Inspector McKay) shows forgiveness and shows you no ill-will,” Judge Morzone said.

He sentenced Bown to three years and six months imprisonment, to be suspended after Bown served six months.

“For a long time you’ve been a model citizen,” Judge Morzone said.

“It’s not only unusual, it’s bizarre in relation to your good character.

“I have to stop you from doing this again. I have to send a message to others that this is not the way to help someone in their despair.

“The community condemns you in your offending.”

Originally published as ‘Misguided emotional attachment’ leads Andrew Bown to ‘bizarre’ actions against senior policeman Don McKay