Allan Ray Craig pleads guilty to bomb hoax against a Mackay mental health facility

A Queensland man had been angry over the mental health treatment he was receiving, threatening to burn the facility down. But one thing stopped him.

Allan Ray Craig pleaded guilty to one count of bomb hoax. Photo: Zoe Devenport

One thing stopped Allan Ray Craig from setting fire to the mental health facility overseeing his treatment – he spotted two people inside the building.

“I didn’t want to hurt anyone,” he later told police.

Since then the 46-year-old Marian man has turned his life around.

Craig, then 44, had been unhappy with the treatment he was receiving at the Mackay Community Mental Health Centre.

Mackay District Court heard Craig, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, knew his mental health was deteriorating and had wanted to take part in a residential program, but was told he was not eligible.

Angry and feeling like his mental health needs were not being taken seriously, he became abusive to a nurse at the centre over the phone threatening to pour petrol on everything and set it on fire, the court heard.

He went to a service station where he bought petrol “intending to inflict some punishment”.

Allan Ray Craig pleaded guilty to one count of bomb hoax – place article or substance over the incident at Mackay Community Mental Health Service on November 4, 2022.

It was about 5.30pm on Friday November 4, 2022 when he arrived at the Nelson St address and poured petrol on the front entrance.

“You did not light it and you did not even try to light it,” Judge Vicki Loury said.

Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Danny Yarrow said his client saw two cleaners inside and did not want to go through with it.

He didn’t want to hurt them, Mr Yarrow said.

The court heard he was arrested the following day at his home and spent more than four months in custody on remand.

Craig pleaded guilty to one count of bomb hoax.

Judge Loury accepted the use of methylamphetamines and alcohol in the days leading up, “substantially contributed” to Craig’s mental state at the time.

She also accepted Craig knew when he was deteriorating and knew what to do when he felt his mental health slip.

He was handed a 12 months suspended sentence because of all the work he had done regarding his rehabilitation since this offending. Photo: Zoe Devenport

“You indicated your willingness to plead guilty and your desire to plead guilty at a very early stage,” Judge Loury said.

Since the offending Craig is working and had the support of an employment consultant, who had known him since 2018.

The court heard since his last visit to hospital for his mental health there had been a “massive positive change” in Craig’s behaviour.

“You have a job and you are described as a very good worker, you are specifically requested by some clients,” Judge Loury said.

“You’ve spent four months in custody so that’s punishment enough, I’m not going to send you back to jail.

“You are well on your way to rehabilitating, given your medication review.”

The court heard he was also still a client of the community care unit.

Craig was jailed for 12 months, suspended with the four months declared as time already served.