Kane Dean pleads guilty in Roma District Court to threatening violence and obstructing police officers

A shirtless man who threatened officers with violence as he hid in a cabin during a tense standoff at a rural Maranoa property has fronted the court.

Kane Dean, 38, pleaded guilty in Roma District Court to threatening violence at night and two counts of obstructing police.

A Maranoa man with a nearly 20 year criminal history fuelled by a “long standing drug addiction” has landed back in court after a tense hour-long standoff with police.

Kane Dean, 38, pleaded guilty in Roma District Court to threatening violence at night and two counts of obstructing police.

Crown prosecutor Matt Le Grand said on May 15 police responded to a mental health incident at a Yuleba property where Dean lived with his mother.

“They were directed upon arrival to another location on the property where Mr Dean resided in a cabin,” Mr Le Grand said.

“When police approached the cabin, he yelled out threats to the officers (and) refused directions to come out of the cabin.

“Attempts by paramedics and police officers to reason with him were unsuccessful.

“Ultimately he exited the cabin and approached police. (He) told them he was not joking about the threats of violence he made.

“He removed his shirt and approached police with his hands in the air and continued to threaten them.

“He pointed at one of the officers and said he would attack them first.”

Mr Le Grand told the court Dean returned to his cabin and police waited for about an hour as they weighed up the next course of action.

The court was told Dean then came back to the door and continued to issue threats, which was when police removed their taser and pointed it at Dean.

“He struggled with police as they arrested him,” Mr Le Grand said.

Mr Le Grand said Dean was remanded in custody for two days before being released on bail.

“The nature of the offending does tend to suggest Mr Dean had returned to his use of substances, which has been as I noted a common feature throughout his life,” he said.

“His physical behaviour and verbal threats were aggressive. Although there was no actual harm to police officers who attended, at the time they had no way of knowing if it would escalate to that.

“It is fortunate for all involved that police were pressed into having to issue significant force.

“Police by nature of their employment are placed frequently in dangerous situations and they therefore deserve any protection that can be offered by the courts.”

Defence barrister Jens Streit said his client was waiting on a psychologist assessment to diagnose some “underlying issues” regarding the defendant’s mental health.

“He suffers some mental health challenges, the top of that letter (tendered to the court) identifies some adverse scores in relation to depression, anxiety and stress,” Mr Streit said.

“I’m not suggesting to you that this appears to be a diagnosis, but that I suspect this has caused doctors some concern.

“The defendant tells me that his previous history of using drugs, particularly ice which he doesn’t take anymore, has affected him in particular ways.

“He accepts that his decision-making has been affected.”

Judge Ken Barlow said it was concerning that Dean threatened to “smash, punch and hit” attending officers.

“You were clearly agitated, I suspect due to mental health conditions,” Mr Barlow said.

Dean was sentenced to six months imprisonment to be served in the community on an intensive corrections order, with a special condition that he must submit to mandatory medical psychiatric treatment.

All convictions were recorded.