Ben Buggy denied bail over role in alleged stabbing of Danny Hawkins
A young Gympie sports star will stay behind bars on remand for his alleged part in a violent brawl which left a prominent boxing coach with stab wounds.
Police & Courts
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An up-and-coming Gympie footballer felt “family pressure” to join his father in a violent alleged ambush at the home of a prominent local boxing coach, a court heard.
That’s what the lawyer for Ben Colin Buggy, 19 claimed in Gympie Magistrates Court as she tried to secure bail for the young sporting star who was among four arrested over the alleged attack on Danny Hawkins out the front of his Parsons Rd home on Saturday afternoon.
But a Snapchat, allegedly sent from Ben Buggy’s account in the wake of the stabbing, ultimately landed him behind bars with his bail refused.
Mr Hawkins suffered several stab wounds and other injuries and was flown to hospital in Brisbane after the alleged attack which happened in daylight and in front of his family.
Ben Buggy, his father Israel Colin Buggy, 45, Bronson Israel Buggy, 23 and Callum Robert McClay, 22 have all been charged for their alleged part in the attack.
The Buggys were charged with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.
Mr McClay has been charged with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing utensils.
Police say a fifth person was also present but no charges have been laid.
During the bail application for the youngest Buggy, the court heard members of the Hawkins family were building a child’s cubby house out the front when the Buggys, Mr McClay and the unnamed fifth man turned up bearing weapons.
Police allege footage of the incident, played for the court by the police prosecutor, shows Israel Buggy carrying a knife, Bronson Buggy armed with a knife and a machete, and Mr McClay allegedly wearing knuckle-dusters.
They say Ben Buggy was the only one unarmed but he allegedly joined the ensuing fray when another member of the Hawkins family swung a bowling pin at Israel Buggy’s head to defend mr Hawkins.
In a separate clip from after the alleged attack, also shown in court, a young woman could be heard screaming off camera “what the f--- is wrong with you”?
Solicitor Laura Nightingale told Gympie Magistrates Court Ben was unaware of the reason the family drove over to the Hawkins home and felt “family pressure” to go join them.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan said that claim didn’t “sit very well” due to the “array” of weapons carried.
“They were just going for a leisurely (Saturday) afternoon drive with a knife?” he asked
It was the Snapchat post however which led Mr Callaghan to refuse the application.
The court heard the post was directed at a witness who came to the Hawkins home in the wake of the incident, from an account under Ben Bugg’s name which read “your house is next c---”.
Ms Nightingale said Ben denied it was him who made the comment but Mr Callaghan denied bail on the grounds he had “no fear of him serving too much time (on remand)” given the allegations.
He told Ms Nightingale, who also represented Bronson and Israel Buggy, there was a “strong Crown case” against the accused men.
Bronson and Israel Buggy did not apply for bail.
The Buggys were supported by two family members sitting in the gallery.
Ben waved to them as he was escorted back to the watch house while Bronson also waved on the way in and blew a kiss on the way out.
Mr McClay will apply for bail in Gympie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
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