Kim Cossins in court for leaving fake bomb outside Lismore ANZ bank

A man dropped a beeping black item outside a Lismore bank and a microwave full of roses in a “cry for help”, a court has heard.

A man who left a “bomb” outside a Lismore bank has revealed his unusual reason behind the act.

Tenterfield man Kim Francis Cossins, 45, pleaded guilty when he appeared via videolink in Lismore Local Court on Tuesday to leaving an article with intent to cause alarm.

The court heard CCTV footage showed Cossins remove a black item from the rear tray off his ute, place it in front of the ANZ bank’s automatic teller machine and drive off about 11.15pm on February 13.

Police were notified of the “bomb” due to its constant beeping sound and arrived about 11.45pm.

The item contained wires, a battery, a sensor blanket pad and had written on it the words “NZ … is a baby stealing slut” and “I miss my son”, according to court documents.

Police later found the device to be non-explosive.

Police allege Cossins had every intention of purporting the device as “being an article which would be one that explodes, ignites or discharges” and that he adapted it for that purpose.

Cossins returned to the bank again on February 14 and placed a microwave outside with similar pleas.

Inside the microwave were roses and rose stems in a Valentine's Day gesture.

He was arrested on February 15 in Mullumbimby when he was observed yelling at members of the public.

Defence solicitor Philip Crick said the acts were a “cry for help”.

He said Cossins’ ex partner and his two children lived in New Zealand and frustrated at the lack of contact, Cossins saw the The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited premises in Woodlark St as a worthy target for his anger.

Court documents stated that was corroborated by Cossins’ admissions to police upon arrest.

“(There’s) some level of creative device to put it near the bank there,” Mr Crick said.

Magistrate Michael Dakin said there were steps taken to protect the community, which included bringing in members of the bomb disposal unit and viewed the matter as “quite serious”.

“It caused a great deal of infrastructure and resources (to be used),” Mr Dakin said.

He said while Cossins was not displaying a significant mental health illness at this stage, he would benefit from community support.

Mr Dakin convicted Cossins and sentenced him to a community corrections order for a period of two years.

For possessing 25g of cannabis, he was also convicted and fined $400.