Townsville Children’s Court: Case for teen shot by police at West End pub labelled ‘tricky’

A 17-year-old girl who was shot by police after she allegedly came at them with a knife is still in hospital with her lawyer saying there is ‘urgency’ to the charges.

Police respond to an incident at the West End Hotel in Townsville.

A teenage girl who was charged with coming at police with a knife before she was shot has had her charges mentioned in court with her lawyer claiming the case was ‘tricky’.

The 17-year-old was charged with two counts of serious assault of police while armed with a weapon and one count of acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

No please have been entered.

Police alleged they received reports of the girl armed with a knife at the West End Hotel on June 10 and when they arrived she came at them with the weapon and she was subsequently shot in the stomach.

The girl was taken to hospital, where her lawyer Andrew Peel says she remains.

Police respond to an incident at the West End Hotel in Townsville.

On Tuesday morning he told Townsville Children’s Court he was waiting for a report from the hospital which was requested last Friday when the girl’s charges were first mentioned in court.

“Can I have it adjourned for seven days, I just want to investigate the resolution of the matter with police prosecution,” Mr Peel said.

“That resolution would involve it being finalised before Your Honour.”

Police prosecutor Sergeant John Moran said, “There’s a lot going on in the background”.

“It’s only early days.”

Magistrate Viviana Keegan pointed out that prosecution would need to prove the “subjective point” without reasonable doubt that there was intent from the girl to cause grievous bodily harm.

“The prosecution takes that view Your Honour,” the prosecutor said.

Mr Peel said there was a chance on the next date the charges could go to sentence.

“It’s tricky,” he said.

“It’s a matter of two factors that I just can’t answer at this stage – one, the prosecution’s attitude and secondly her health, will play a part on whether or not it can be finalised that day. There is some urgency.”

Her Honour agreed and said the charges were adjourned to July 1.

Teen charged over police shooting at NQ pub

A teenager has been charged after she allegedly came at police while armed with a knife at a Townsville pub.

On June 10, police were called to the West End Hotel after reports of a 17-year-old girl allegedly making threats.

Police will allege that the girl came at police and then was shot in the abdomen.

She was taken to Townsville University Hospital where she underwent surgery.

On June 20, the girl was charged with serious assault police officer while armed with a weapon and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

The teen is in custody and will appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on June 24.

Ethical Standards Command is still investigating the incident with oversight from the Crime and Corruption Commission.

The witness said they heard the gunshot after seeing the girl allegedly step towards police with a ‘carving knife’.

Police at the West End Hotel in West End, Townsville. Picture: Daniel Shirkie

“I was no more than three or four metres. I was very close. I just heard the police telling her to stop, telling her to stop, then the gun shot,” another witness, Joanne Aldous, said.

“I heard police telling her to stop, she had a knife – like a carving knife or something, and she kept moving towards the female cop and then they shot.”

In the wake of the shooting, Queensland Police Union President Shane Prior said the two male officers involved should receive bravery awards.

“I’m told officers walked into the beer garden of that hotel and a female (allegedly) lunged at an officer from a hidden location with a large knife,” he said.

“A second officer, fearing for his life and the life of his colleague, being in mortal danger, fired a single shot.

Police at the West End Hotel in West End, Townsville. Picture: Daniel Shirkie

“I’m confident the action that police took prevented patrons at the hotel from being harmed or possibly murdered and they should be given bravery awards for the efforts that they have gone to yesterday.”

This was the second police-involved shooting this year, with officers charging Liam Joseph Nathan with serious assault of a police officer after he was shot by police in Vincent.

He was charged with two counts of serious assault of a police officer while armed with a weapon, after it was alleged he threatened officers with a large knife at a home on Lillipilli St.

In July last year, officers used legal force on a knife-wielding man outside the Kirwan Police Station.

Five months earlier, Marsat Misik, 26, was fatally shot in Mount Louisa after confronting police with a knife.

In April 2024, veteran Steven Angus was shot and killed by police in his backyard.

Originally published as Townsville Children’s Court: Case for teen shot by police at West End pub labelled ‘tricky’