Ice-addiction to blame for Beaudesert man Robert Bell’s violent rampage across Logan, court heard

A man and his associates, who were found with knuckledusters and a chainsaw, incited fear at a shopping centre, a house and on the street. 

A heavily tattooed father of three went on a violent rampage across Logan during the height of his methamphetamine addiction, Beenleigh Magistrates Court was told on Thursday.

Former machine operator Robert Bell, 26, of Beaudesert, pleaded guilty to several charges including affray (using or threatening violence to cause people to fear for their safety), wilful damage and entering a premises to commit an indictable offence.

The court heard the series of offences began on January 24, 2020, when Bell punched in the window of a car during a road rage attack.

Beaudesert man Robert Bell was sentenced to probation.

The victim’s “bad driving” angered Bell, who waited until he was stopped at a red light before stepping out of his car and storming over to the other car.

Bell punched the driver’s side window, causing $380 worth of damage, then got back into his own car and drove away.

Magistrate Louise Shephard said there was no reasonable justification for Bell’s behaviour.

“It’s appalling to treat another driver that way, it would have been very distressing,” she said.

A few days later, on January 30, Bell became involved in a physical altercation at Logan Central Shopping Plaza.

The court heard Bell became “infuriated” and stepped in to the fight when his former girlfriend was struck.

He was restrained by shopping centre security and during the chaos a pair of knuckle dusters fell out of his pocket.

READ MORE LOGAN NEWS

Army veteran threatened to kill elderly man in road rage incident at Browns Plains

11-year-old Logan boy assaulted during school pick-up at Beenleigh State School

Teen ice-addict from Daisy Hill stole almost $20K from Carindale home

“Once again, a terrible way to handle things,” Magistrate Shephard said.

“Involving yourself can only incite and make the situation worse.”

The enter premises charge occurred on February 24 when Bell and two other men attended the Woodridge home of a man involved in the earlier fight.

The men got out of their car yelling, with one of them brandishing a chainsaw.

Bell “caused quite significant damage” by trying to pull off a security screen and damaging a door, while one of his associates used the chainsaw to smash a windscreen.

Bell’s lawyer told the court his client used ice as a way to cope with the grief of losing the mother of his children and a close friend to suicide.

The court heard he’d since turned over a new leaf, cutting off his former friends, quitting drugs and securing employment.

Magistrate Shephard noted he was “essentially a different person today than (he) was then”.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and convictions were recorded.