Peter John Dunkinson, 58, is accused of going armed to cause fear in Parkhurst Tavern and caravan park incidents

A man dying from bone cancer has been remanded in custody after allegedly pulling what looked like a gun on bottle shop staff three times and once at a camper in a tent at a Rockhampton caravan park.

A man dying from bone cancer has been remanded in custody after allegedly pulling what looked like a gun on bottle shop staff three times and once at a camper in a tent at a Rockhampton caravan park.

Peter John Dunkinson, 58, is accused of crimes which took place at the Parkhurst Caravan Park and a Parkhurst bottle shop days apart.

He made a bail application in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 24 after being charged over the caravan park incident.

The alleged bottle shop incident, which was not being dealt with on January 24, took place on January 15 – seven days prior to the caravan park incident.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said the latest incident stemmed from a rule at the caravan park where dogs must be on leads when away from their sites.

He said Mr Dunkinson, who has lived at the caravan park in a bus for the past five years, alleged he went to the shower block and saw a dog he thought belonged to the victim, who had lived at the park for a few months.

Mr Cagney said Mr Dunkinson, who has terminal bone cancer, claimed he placed the dog on a lead due to the park‘s rule and then left.

He said the police allege the victim then approached Mr Dunkinson and said something like “stay out of my boundaries or I’ll rip your head off and your dog’s head off”.

“On the police’s own (allegations), the victim seems to be significantly aggravating the situation,” Mr Cagney told the court.

He said his client denies the rest of the allegations made by the victim which included Mr Dunkinson making hand gestures in a gun shape and denies making the comments “bang bang, you’re dead”.

Mr Cagney said Mr Dunkinson also “strongly denies” brandishing a gel blaster, which looked like a semiautomatic gun, in a threatening manner.

He said his client instructed everyone at the caravan park knew he had gel blasters because a lot of people, including children, meet up with him and go play with him with gel blasters.

Mr Cagney said Mr Dunkinson claimed he had three gel blasters, which didn’t work, which he had handed into police.

Mr Dunkinson’s bail application included returning to live at the caravan park as, according to Mr Cagney, he had nowhere else to go with no family or anyone else to help him.

“My client has been there for five years without any prior incident,” Mr Cagney said.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe said Mr Dunkinson was captured on CCTV at the Parkhurst Tavern bottle shop pointing a replica gun three times through the passenger window of his car at staff.

The Parkhurst Tavern

She said the caravan park victim accurately described the weapon allegedly used against them by Mr Dunkinson.

“It’s very concerning behaviour,” Senior Constable Rowe said.

She said police searched Mr Dunkinson’s residence and seized three gel blasters on January 15, but didn’t locate the one allegedly used in the later incident at the caravan park.

“It’s concerning – either he purchased another gel blaster in the days following this (bottle shop) event or police didn’t locate it,” she said.

Senior Constable Rowe said the caravan park victim claimed Mr Dunkinson was driving around the park in a silver Colorado, pointed fingers at the victim in the shape of a gun and said “bang bang, you’re dead”.

She said it was further alleged the defendant exited the vehicle with a black case which he placed on the bonnet and removed a gun.

Senior Constable Rowe said the victim claimed he saw Mr Dunkinson “loading the gun by sliding a cartridge” into the gun.

Magistrate Jason Schubert said the charges before the court included possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils and going armed to cause fear.

He said Mr Dunkinson’s criminal record included a common assault conviction in 2021, wilful damage of police property in August 2020 and producing dangerous drugs in 2018.

Mr Schubert deemed Mr Dunkinson a risk of committing further offences, refused to grant bail and remanded him in custody.

Mr Dunkinson’s matters were adjourned until March 18.