Paul William Chesworth, 45, accused of sparking major Wollongbar police operation on North Coast on Thursday

Police allege an engineer with a “bomb-making hobby” threatened to use explosives, resulting in lockdowns, a highway closure and warnings for residents to stay indoors in a Northern Rivers town.

Police at a roadblock on the Bruxner Hwy. Picture: Cath Piltz

Police allege a Northern Rivers engineer with a “bomb-making hobby” threatened to use explosives after a concern for welfare report, resulting in lockdowns, a highway closure and warnings for residents to stay indoors.

The 45-year-old McLeans Ridges man, Paul William Chesworth faced Ballina Local Court on Friday after a siege situation stretching about six hours at a property on the Bruxner Highway in the little town of Wollongbar.

Chesworth’s case was raised before Magistrate Karen Stafford, but he did not appear and was represented by a lawyer.

Emergency services at Wollongbar TAFE on Thursday. Picture: Cath Piltz

He has been charged with using a carriage service to make a hoax threat, as well as giving false information about a person/property in danger, and possessing a prohibited drug – oxycodone.

Chesworth is also charged with contravening an apprehended violence order (AVO) in relation to a separate alleged incident. No pleas have been entered.

The Bruxner Highway at Wollongbar.

NSW Police state emergency services were called to the home near Lismore about 8am regarding a welfare check on a man before the situation escalated.

Chesworth was arrested and taken to Lismore Base Hospital for initial assessment about 2pm.

Wollongbar TAFE was one educational facility forced to go into lockdown due to its proximity to the Bruxner Hwy home.

A barricade on the Bruxner Highway intersection with Sneaths Rd at Wollongbar in northern NSW on Thursday. Picture: Cath Piltz

Police blockaded roads, including the highway, and told residents to stay indoors.

The operation sparked worrying claims on social media pages about guns and bombs – but police stated no one in the wider community was at risk at any stage.

Chesworth has not been charged with weapons or explosives offences.

Defence lawyer Gemma Campagna told the court Chesworth was back in Lismore Base Hospital under police guard and a release application would not be made.

She said it was unclear how long Chesworth would remain in hospital and she did not have instructions.

Police allege in court documents Chesworth’s “threats and actions” over “the past several days” caused “significant disruption to the local community”.

It’s alleged Chesworth is an engineer interested in “bomb making”.

Wollongbar TAFE and the surrounding area.

Police also allege Chesworth’s hoax involved “inducing a false belief that an explosive has been or will be left in any place”.

Chesworth is accused of having 14 oxycodone painkillers not prescribed to him.

Ballina Courthouse. Picture: Liana Boss

He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of reckless wounding company relating to alleged offending at an earlier date.

It’s alleged Chesworth inflicted a large wound on a man’s cheek which needed a dozen stitches to close up, and that he later breached bail and a related AVO.

Chesworth’s case was relisted at Byron Bay Local Court on November 27.