Meth addict Beau Daniel Coolwell punched a police officer in the head, grabbed a doctor by the throat and spat on an ambulance officer

A drug user and fire-lighter, who committed a string of offences in Rockhampton and Ipswich, has been described as having a “callous disregard” for emergency service workers.

A Rockhampton drug addict who punched a police officer in the head, grabbed a doctor by the throat and spat on an ambulance officer, has been described as having a “callous disregard” for emergency service workers.

Beau Daniel Coolwell, 34, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on February 28 to numerous charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, assault, two counts of assault police, possessing cannabis and drug utensils, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, receiving tainted property and lighting a fire without a permit.

The court heard that Coolwell’s offending happened between September 2019 and October last year, in Rockhampton and Ipswich.

The AOBH offence happened on September 2, 2019, when the victim, a 32-year-old doctor was working in the acute mental health ward at Ipswich Hospital.

Police Prosecutor Brandy Butler said about 7.45pm on that day, the doctor was leaving a bedroom with a nurse when he saw Coolwell agitated and “pacing around” in a hallway.

Ms Butler said Coolwell asked the doctor why everyone was talking about him and the doctor reassured him that no-one was talking about him.

“Without warning though, the defendant grabbed the victim around the waist with both arms and lifted him from the ground, and was trying to throw him to the ground,” Ms Butler said.

Ms Butler said the doctor grabbed onto something to prevent himself from being thrown down, and Coolwell then put him down.

“But he (Coolwell) then grabbed him (doctor) by the throat and he started to squeeze,” Ms Butler said.

“The victim had difficulty breathing and felt immediate pain in his neck.”

Other staff members came to assist and they managed to separate Coolwell from the doctor.

Ms Butler said Coolwell was taken to a secluded room to be monitored and the doctor was taken to the Emergency Department where he was examined.

The doctor had scratches on his neck and soreness.

In May 2020, Ipswich police intercepted a vehicle in which Coolwell was a passenger in, and he was found in possession of 45.1g of cannabis and drug utensils.

On July 19, 2021, about 5pm, police received calls about a man lighting grass fires in the Rockhampton suburb of Wandal.

That was Coolwell and when police caught up with him a short distance away, he said he was under the influence of cannabis and he didn’t know what he was doing.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services attended the scene to extinguish the fire which was in the vicinity of properties.

Coolwell was taken to Rockhampton Hospital under an “emergency examination authority” and police officers were called to assist due to his aggressive behaviour.

While police were escorting Coolwell, he kicked backwards towards an officer, connecting with his leg.

Coolwell also punched another police officer in the head.

The officer who was kicked drew his taser and Coolwell then complied with police directions.

At the hospital, Coolwell became frustrated about the time it was taking for him to been seen at the mental health unit.

He left his chair and started walking around the Emergency Department.

A Queensland Ambulance Service supervisor told Coolwell to sit down because he was disrupting the department.

After the QAS supervisor turned and walked away, Coolwell spat “a large blob” of saliva onto the middle of the supervisor’s back.

“Many people who were working in the Emergency Department witnessed that act,” Ms Butler said.

When the supervisor turned around to face Coolwell, Coolwell clenched both of his fists and raised them up as if he was initiating a fight, Ms Butler said.

Ms Butler said Coolwell had spent 118 days in pre-sentence custody and she told the court his nine-page criminal history was “quite simply appalling”.

“This (latest offences) is serious offending - it shows a complete lack of respect and a callous disregard for emergency service workers...”

Solicitor Ken Spinaze said Coolwell had a difficult upbringing and had started sniffing substances at an early age.

Mr Spinaze said Coolwell was introduced to cannabis as a teenager and then as a younger man, he went on to use methamphetamines regularly.

Mr Spinaze tendered a psychiatric report to the court and said most of Coolwell’s offending had stemmed from his mental state.

He said Coolwell suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and that he was currently on an involuntary treatment order.

Magistrate Cameron Press sentenced Coolwell to 15 months’ jail with a parole release date of May 3, 2022.