John William Hawke charged over Rockhampton police station bomb hoax

A former miner who allegedly walked into a Queensland police station and told staff he was armed with a bomb says he does not recall a lot of the day’s events.

John William Hawke pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to failing to provide a specimen of breath, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing a weapon. Picture: Lillian Watkins

A man who allegedly walked into a Queensland police station and told staff he was armed with a bomb has been refused bail, after spending about eight months on remand, due to his angst with police.

John William Hawke, 35, had his bomb hoax and some associated charges committed to the Rockhampton District Court by Magistrate Grace Kahlert on Monday and he also made an application for bail.

Mr Hawke’s charges include one count each of bomb hoax, serious assault of a police officer while pretending/actually armed; possession of a weapon; contravene a police order about electronically stored information, failing to appear; using a carriage service for a hoax threat; using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence; contravening police direction and possessing a knife in a public place.

Three of Mr Hawke’s charges – assaulting the police officer, using a carriage service to send communication about a hoax threat, bomb hoax and contravening a police order about electronically stored information – were committed to the district court.

He has not entered any pleas.

The court heard Mr Hawke is alleged to have walked into the Rockhampton Police Station on Bolsover Street on January 4, 2023, telling staff he was armed with a bomb.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney told the court Mr Hawke “feels aggrieved about a decision of the New South Wales Police Service in relation to his children” which Mr Hawke feels was “unjust” and resulted in him losing access to his children.

He said four days prior to this alleged offending, Mr Hawke had been working at a Central Queensland mine and was sacked with no reason given.

Mr Cagney said his client doesn’t recall much of the events of January 4 as he had been drinking heavily.

He said Mr Hawke’s proposed bail address was to live at Westwood in a donga on a property where his friend worked running a cafe/hotel.

Mr Cagney said his client was willing to have bail conditions of not drinking alcohol.

He said comparative cases suggested Mr Hawke had already served too much time in custody for the alleged offending and therefore, he was not a risk of failing to appear in court.

However, Ms Kahlert said she believed Mr Hawke, given his angst towards police and his criminal record including breaching court orders and weapons offences, may not have yet served too much time for this alleged offending.

She said she was not satisfied she should grant him bail.

Ms Kahlert adjourned Mr Hawke’s other charges to December 18 and remanded him in custody.