Toowoomba court told Stanthorpe man allegedly planned to shoot up police station

Police opposed a man’s bail application after an alleged interstate police pursuit on a major Darling Downs highway where a shortened firearm was allegedly discharged.

Picture: File

Darling Downs police have asked a Toowoomba magistrate to reject a man’s bail application following an alleged attempted suicide by cop involving a loaded gun and an interstate police chase near Stanthorpe.

James Cooper appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court via the watch-house on Wednesday, December 11, on seven serious charges relating to the alleged police pursuit involving NSW and Queensland police along the New England Highway.

Following the alleged incident on Friday, December 6, the 52-year-old man was charged with dangerous conduct with a weapon, the serious assault of a police officer while armed, the unlawful possession of a shortened firearm, failing to stop a vehicle when directed, and possessing a knife and ammunition.

On Monday a few days after Mr Cooper’s arrest, a registered nurse conducted a short assessment and provided a report to the court stating there were no concerns regarding his mental health.

Southern Downs man James Cooper, 52, remains in police custody at the Toowoomba watch house.

Magistrate Mark Howden said he required a thorough examination of Mr Cooper’s mental health to be done by a psychiatrist before he could properly assess the bail application, noting Mr Cooper twice pointed a gun at police officers.

“It’s particularly serious (allegations),” he said.

“At one point he … pulled over to the side of the road, pointed the firearm outside of his vehicle towards the sergeant,” he said.

“So he’s actually done that and then thrown it to one side and it’s discharged.

“He’s told the police on numerous occasions that he wanted them to shoot him.

“He’s also told police that his plan was to attend the station and shoot at police and try to force them to kill him.”

The court was told Mr Cooper, who used to do contract landscaping work for a council, began struggling with his mental health about six months ago after his mother and brother died soon after each other in 2023.

Acting as duty lawyer, solicitor Alysha Jacobsen said the sibling of 14 was feuding with his brothers and sisters after his mother’s death, which led to him having to move out of the house he lived in and cared for his mother.

“He recently did attend his doctor and his depression medication was doubled,” she said.

Mr Cooper informed Ms Jacobsen he hadn’t taken his medication for about three or four days in the lead-up to the alleged incident.

She said Mr Cooper was staying with family at Wallangarra on the Southern Downs and often visited his girlfriend at Acacia Ridge, which was expensive for the job seeker.

“It resulted in him being unable to afford his last prescription for his depression medication,” she said.

“He instructs he became extremely overwhelmed with his emotions and ultimately became suicidal.

“Although I appreciate what the objection to bail says in terms of intending to (allegedly) harm police so that they would in return harm him, (but) he instructs he never had any intention of harming anyone else.”

Ms Jacobsen said she intended to make a submission regarding Mr Cooper’s charges – one of which has a mandatory sentence of one year in jail to be served in its entirety.

Mr Cooper had nothing of a like nature on his criminal history, nor had he ever been sentenced to terms of imprisonment or probationary orders.

The part-heard bail application was adjourned so an examination order could be implemented, as originally intended by Ms Jacobsen, as the matter was first mentioned on Saturday, December 7.

The application will next be before the Toowoomba courts on Friday, December 13.

If released from custody, Mr Cooper intends to live on Brisbane’s Southside, with his long-term and supportive partner.

Originally published as Toowoomba court told Stanthorpe man allegedly planned to shoot up police station