Jason Shane Bird accuses Murgon magistrate committing treason over trial request

A man has told a magistrate he was committing treason and that Queensland laws are invalid during an outlandish court appearance.

What should have been a simple court hearing descended into chaos, as a man warned a judge he would be “committing treason” and demanded a trial by jury.

The bizarre scene played out in Murgon Magistrates Court, when Jason Shane Bird’s charge of obstructing police was mentioned.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair was asking Bird, who appeared via phone link, whether he had received a brief of evidence – but the hearing quickly went off the rails.

Bird, who said he was representing himself, told the court he had received the evidence but immediately began accusing the police of lying, noting sections of the brief contradicted each other.

When the magistrate told him this was not relevant to the hearing, Bird then said he had yet to receive evidence from police that the Mental Health Act had “gone through the proper ratification process”.

“If that hasn't happened it’s not a law and I’m not bound by it – so they need to provide evidence of the proper ratification process being upheld,” Bird said.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair has been told he would be committing treason by a man in court during a bizarre hearing.

Magistrate Sinclair was clearly not swayed, simply reminding Bird that it was a matter of law and the police did not have to provide evidence.

But Bird wouldn’t have it, and demanded to know whether the magistrate “stood under the constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia being the highest law in this country”.

He went onto declare that as Queensland had no senate, he believed no laws could be passed without breaching the constitution, and that he was requesting a jury trial.

Magistrate Sinclair told Bird these were arguments he would need to heard at another date, and that Bird would need appear in person to make an argument as to why he needed a jury trial.

This caused Bird to warn the Magistrate he that “you’re committing treason” if he did not grant a jury trial.

Magistrate Sinclair, clearly tiring of the exchange told Bird he would need to attend the court on September 24 – and if he did not attend he would be convicted in his absence.

Bird then asked for the trial to be moved as Murgon was “too far away” and that he had a disability that meant he couldn’t travel to Murgon.

However Magistrate Sinclair said the offence had occurred in Murgon, and so Bird had mange to “find himself here” so he could find a way here again.

The case was adjourned until September 24.