Man refused bail in alleged tomahawk incident

Court hears Callum James Dunlop was affected by drugs and alcohol

Police charged a 32-year-old man with going armed to cause fear. Picture: Brian Cassidy

A MAN has conceded drugs and alcohol were behind the bizarre and frightening antics in Barolin St on Sunday night, which allegedly saw him threaten a car full of people with a tomahawk.

But speaking through his lawyer, 32-year-old Callum James Dunlop claimed it was a metal pole, not a tomahawk.

Appearing in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court yesterday, police prosecutor Dean Burgess said the allegation was that Dunlop was out in the street, playing with a 45cm tomahawk, when he approached a car.

"He threaten a car driving in the street, they reversed back and called police," he said.

Sgt Burgess said when police found the accused inside his unit, they also found a tomahawk down his pants.

"The propensity for violence is scary," Sgt Burgess said, as he urged the magistrate to refuse bail.

"You must take into regard the protection of the community with regard to bail and he's threatening unknown people driving the street at night, with a tomahawk," he said.

"It is extremely serious, the expectation from the community is that people like him shouldn't be wandering the streets."

But defence lawyer Gavin James said his client disagreed with a number of elements of the prosecutions' case.

"He said he wasn't carrying a tomahawk, that he had a pole," he said.

However Mr James said his client accepted he was affected by alcohol and cannabis at the time, issues which Mr James argued could be addressed by bail conditions which would see him placed on strict restrictions when it came to the use of alcohol.

But Magistrate Neil Lavaring determined there were no bail conditions which would satisfy him that the community would be adequately protected if bail was to be granted.

Dunlop was charged with one count of going armed do cause fear and one count of possessing a weapon.

He was remanded in custody to appear via videolink on September 3.