Anthony David Walker faces court over alleged hospital assault

A man who allegedly attacked two hospital workers, including a mental health nurse, has been given a stern warning by a Magistrate during his first court appearance.

A man has narrowly avoided jail after assaulting a nurse and a hospital worker during a medical episode.

A man has been granted bail after allegedly assaulting a nurse and a hospital worker during a medical episode.

Anthony David Walker, 51, of Nerimbera, appeared in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Friday on charges of acts intended to cause GBH or transmit serious disease and serious assault/resist/obstruct public officer – bites/spits/throws bodily fluid or faeces.

He is yet to enter any pleas.

During a bail hearing, police prosecutor Courtney Brown said Mr Walker, who lives in a caravan and receives government benefits, had no clear motive for the alleged offending.

“The concerning nature here is obviously the mental health aspect as well as the serious nature of the offending, which seemingly is without any real motive,” she said.

Duty Lawyer Samantha LeGrady said Mr Walker was in his 50s and unemployed.

“Mr Walker is 51 at this date … he receives the Jobseeker payment and is in the process of applying for NDIS,” she said.

“In relation to these two charges, Mr Walker was at the pool at the time.

“He was in the shower and said he broke down and doesn’t remember too much of what had occurred other than that he had run out of his medication.

“He had asked someone at the pool to call an ambulance which they did.”
He was sent to emergency and found himself as an inpatient at the mental health unit for 17 days, the court heard.

The specifics of Mr Walker’s alleged offending were not tendered in court, but allegedly involved a serious assault on a mental health nurse and another hospital worker.

Magistrate Lance Rundle highlighted the seriousness of Mr Walker’s charges.

“You need to get help,” he said

“[The Crown case] reads really appallingly. They are very serious charges.”

Magistrate Rundle said Mr Walker had a criminal history from New South Wales, and warned him further offending of a similar nature may land him in jail.

“If you had history which had behaviour of a similar nature, I’d be refusing your bail,” he said.

“If you don’t get help, and you have another episode like this – unless there’s an application under section 11 in relation to mental health issues – I think you might find it difficult to get bail and you are going to be spending time in jail.”

Mr Walker’s bail conditions include not contacting the alleged victims, remaining at his current address where he lives in a caravan and reporting to the North Rockhampton Police Station on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

A brief of evidence will be provided in court on February 26.