‘High level of danger’: Bail for ADF rifleman accused of assaulting police with weapon

NAMED: A trained army rifleman from Brisbane’s north has been granted bail after an alleged attack with a weapon.

An army rifleman accused of drunkenly assaulting a police officer with a weapon at Griffin on Wednesday night, February 25, has been released on bail.

Zak Patrick Styles, 29, was arrested and charged with two counts of dangerous operation of a weapon, one count of possession of a weapon while under the influence of alcohol and one count of serious assault of a police officer.

The ADF rifleman was to reside at the Gallipoli Barracks until his next hearing, but that soon changed when permission was rescinded.

He remained at the Pine Rivers watch house for the full duration of his bail application hearing at the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Thursday, February 26, where he was represented by Jane Bruxner from KLM solicitors.

The court heard Styles worked as a rifleman for the Australian Defence Force and served in Malaysia for three months, during which time his mother tragically passed away.

According to Ms Bruxner, the death sent Styles on a downward spiral that saw him diagnosed with agitated depression and adjustment disorder, separate from his wife, and adjust his working hours down to half days.

These stressors culminated in an alleged incident at his place of residence at Bergamot Circuit on Wednesday, February 25.

The court heard Styles had recently dropped down to half days working for the ADF due to a culmination of stressors.

According to a spokesman from the Queensland Police Service, officers were called to a welfare check at the home just after 5pm.

When they arrived, they discovered Styles had allegedly positioned a rifle in such a way it was laying on the ground and pointed towards them, “causing alarm”.

The spokesman said the assault charge was born out of the alleged positioning of the gun rather than any physical altercation.

Ms Bruxner told the court her client was heavily intoxicated at the time of the alleged incident and the army chaplain was able to console and calm him shortly thereafter.

Magistrate Trevor Morgan said the police account alleged “serious conduct, and dangerous conduct (that) exposed the public to a high level of danger”.

The Magistrate expressed concern about Styles alleged assault given his training as a rifleman in the ADF.

“The circumstances of the offence and the danger to the community needs to be balanced then on whether we can put sufficient conditions in place to ameliorate further risk to the community,” he said.

As such, Styles was granted bail on the condition he be transported immediately to the Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera where he would reside in emergency accommodation and receive mental health care until his next court hearing on Thursday March 4.

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Styles will not be allowed to leave the barracks except in the course of his employment as defence personnel, to attend medical and mental health services or as an inpatient of a mental health facility.

He will be prohibited from consuming alcohol or non-prescription drugs, with testing able to be completed at any time.

During a third mention of the case on Monday, March 8, the court heard the bail conditions were complicated when Styles returned to the barracks and was informed he did not have permission to stay there.

Styles was transported to an inpatient mental health facility for treatment, but upon its completion will be required to alter his bail conditions or be remanded in custody.

The case was adjourned for six weeks with Styles expected to next appear at the Pine Rivers courthouse on April 19.