Dalby man, Kitchener Stephen Reilly, faces Dalby Magistrates Court for threatening to shoot people at pub

A man wreaked havoc at three different Dalby pubs in one day after he drunkenly threatened to shoot people, and armed himself with a weapon during an argument. Here’s what triggered the ‘alarming’ episode.

Kitchener Stephen Reilly was sentenced in Dalby Magistrates Court 2022 following a drunken rampage. Picture: Facebook

A drug-induced psychosis led to a Dalby man arming himself with a weapon during a fight outside a pub, and saw him threaten to shoot others while at a different establishment on the same day, a court has been told.

Kitchener Stephen Reilly told Dalby Magistrates Court he hadn’t been taking his mental health-related medication when he was involved in a number of drunken public nuisance incidents between June 25 and September 13 this year.

Police prosecutor Chris Hutchins said the 45-year-old’s worst offending was when he armed himself with a pole on September 13.

“He had a disagreement with a complete stranger but he didn’t follow them into the pub,” Sergeant Hutchins said.

“But arming yourself with a pole is obviously alarming, it could’ve had dire consequences.”

Sergeant Hutchins said two months earlier the man went from the Australian Hotel to the Country Club Hotel and the Criterion Hotel, where he swore and yelled at other patrons.

“He made the comment about getting a gun to shoot people but he was drunk and intoxicated and had no capacity to carry out that threat,” he said.

“But people were offended by his general behaviour.

“The comments themselves are inappropriate and more annoying and upsetting for people who go to enjoy their time and he’s carrying on effectively running his mouth.”

Defence lawyer Michael McElhinney said his client had experienced a drug-induced psychosis related to a drug problem Reilly had for 20 years.

The court also was told Reilly experienced a great tragedy in late September with the death of his son in Brisbane.

Acting magistrate Melanie Ho apologised for the man’s loss and praised him for staying out of trouble for 12 years before the drug-induced and alcohol-fuelled episode.

Reilly pleaded guilty to one count of going armed to cause fear, six counts of public nuisance in a licence premises, one count of public nuisance, stealing, breach of bail and contravention of release conditions.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation, with no conviction recorded.