Ryan Thomas Clare applies for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court

A man charged with attempted arson in relation to an alleged car ramming incident at the Emu Park police station in January, as well as two alleged sieges involving police, has applied for bail due to his court proceedings being suspended. Here’s how it went.

A man charged with attempted arson in relation to an alleged car ramming incident at the Emu Park police station in January, as well as two alleged sieges involving police, has applied for bail due to his court proceedings being suspended.

Ryan Thomas Clare, 42, applied for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on July 12.

He was charged with five counts of wilful damage, two counts each of possess property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence, trespass and possessing dangerous drugs, and one count each of enter premises and commit indictable offence, serious assault police officer, wilful damage of police property, attempted arson, unregulated high-risk activities, obstruct police officer, interfering with fire apparatuses and possess utensils or pipes for use.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe opposed bail being granted to Mr Clare.

Police allege a vehicle collided with a parked car at a driveway outside the Emu Park police station’s garage on January 2, pushing it through the door and into another car. The driver exited the vehicle before allegedly pouring fuel over one of the cars and lighting a small fire in the grass nearby.

Police allege that on January 2 about 3.20pm, a vehicle collided with a parked car at a driveway outside the garage of the Emu Park police station, pushing it through the door and into another car.

The alleged driver, Mr Clare, exited the vehicle before allegedly pouring fuel over one of the cars and lighting a small fire in the grass nearby.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said his client, who had no criminal history, was on bail at the time of the alleged offences at Emu Park and had not applied for bail previously on these charges.

Mr Cagney said his client’s court proceedings were currently suspended.

“The application for the review of a psychiatrist was made by the chief psychiatrist,” he said.

“Those proceedings have now been transferred to the mental health court but the delays that will occasion that will be significant.

Police allege a vehicle collided with a parked car at a driveway outside the Emu Park police station’s garage on January 2, pushing it through the door and into another car. The driver exited the vehicle before allegedly pouring fuel over one of the cars and lighting a small fire in the grass nearby.

“No one can have anything to do with these charges being dealt with until that review in the mental health court takes place.”

He said his client worked as a qualified electrician until his mental health conditions increased about 2017 and he stopped working.

The court heard Mr Clare was currently medicated for post traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder.

Mr Cagney tendered to the court two photos from the police brief of evidence depicting a fuel can on the bonnet of a car and pile of burnt material and said that was as far as the alleged attempted arson went.

“Mr Clare didn’t ignite petrol,” he said.

“The attempt is about as low as it goes.

Police allege a vehicle collided with a parked car at a driveway outside the Emu Park police station’s garage on January 2, pushing it through the door and into another car. The driver exited the vehicle before allegedly pouring fuel over one of the cars and lighting a small fire in the grass nearby.

“Mr Clare, who has now spent 189 days in custody, is now at a stage where he would be doing too much time if he were to remain in custody.”

He said his client was willing to enter into strict bail conditions, including reporting to police at Emu Park, not consuming drugs or alcohol, submitting to random drug testing, and complying with the treatment regimen of mental health.

“It seems quite clear that at the time these (alleged) offences were committed he was mentally unwell,” he said.

“He would be on a short leash.”

Senior Constable Rowe said her concern regarding bail being granted to Mr Clare was that Emu Park was a small police station with only four police officers who lived in the area and that there were threats made against them during an 18-hour siege.

“This was the day after he had (allegedly) rammed private police vehicles and attempted that arson offence,” she said.

Police allege a vehicle collided with a parked car at a driveway outside the Emu Park police station’s garage on January 2, pushing it through the door and into another car. The driver exited the vehicle before allegedly pouring fuel over one of the cars and lighting a small fire in the grass nearby.

“When police went around to speak with him he was seen at the back of his property and ran inside and had a knife placed against his femoral artery and was threatening to cut himself when police came closer.

“There are concerns the facilities aren’t there to manage this risk.

“There aren’t any mental health facilities available to him out there either.

“My understanding is the closest mental health facility is at Rockhampton, so there is concerns there would be some delay if that was required.”

Senior Constable Rowe said in November 2021 Mr Clare allegedly climbed onto the third storey of the Dracula’s Cabaret in Broadbeach where he was arrested and only days later entered a construction site in Southport and scaled the ladder of a 20-storey tower crane and advised police he had a gun and threatened to shoot police, which resulted in a six-hour siege.

“I am concerned for the community and police of Emu Park that there isn’t any support for this defendant while out in the community,” she said.

Mr Cagney said there were mental health facilities at Capricorn Coast Hospital in Yeppoon, but that it did not allow inpatients.

Magistrate Jason Schubert refused to grant Mr Clare bail and he was remanded in custody with his matters adjourned to September 7.