Man believed his housemates were stealing jailed for assault and attempted ‘citizen’s arrest’

He attacked two men and locked one in a house refusing to let him leave and shoved a 66-year-old woman to the ground.

Believing the mother and son he lived with had robbed him Anthony Peter Midgley bashed two men and shoved over a 66-year-old woman.

In January this year, Midgley was living with a 66-year-old woman and her son in a Kallangur rental home.

The group had been having arguments about rent payments and Midgley, 46, believed some of his belongings had been stolen.

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On January 31 he and the adult son were smoking and drinking wine in their back patio. Midgley confronted the man about missing items, including his wallet that he believed had been taken and was found at a mutual friend’s place.

The man became uncomfortable and attempted to leave, but Midgley pushed him back into a chair which broke. Midgley then began punching the man while he was on the ground.

He then took the man into the bathroom where he helped clean up his injuries. Fearing being attacked again, the man tried to leave the house. But Midgley locked the door and told the man he was not leaving until he had given Midgley answers.

The two continued to argue and Midgley eventually called the police. While talking to police the man yelled out “deprivation of liberty” and “he won’t let me leave”.

The man eventually escaped out the front door. Midgley began to chase and unintentionally ran into the man’s 66-year-old mother.

Seeing the incident the mutual friend, who Midgley believed had been found with his wallet, ran over. Midgley then attacked him and repeatedly punched him.

Midgley pleaded guilty at Pine Rivers Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm, serious assault on a person over 60, common assault and deprivation of liberty.

Midgley’s lawyer Shaun Kolo told the court his client was attempted to execute a “citizen’s arrest” when he locked the man in the house which is why he called the police.

Midgley has since been evicted from the Kallangur house and has lived with relatives, in tents and on friend’s couches.

He was sentenced to four months jail, suspended for 12 months.

Originally published as Man believed his housemates were stealing jailed for assault and attempted ‘citizen’s arrest’