Trevor Fieldsend: Dubbo man granted bail after scaring his mother with a hammer, knife and torch

A paranoid Dubbo man who believed his mother was conspiring to shoot him has been granted bail after he locked her inside their home, turned off the lights and armed himself with a hammer and knife.

A Dubbo man who appeared to be in a state of paranoia and intimidated his mother with an assortment of weapons was granted bail on Thursday.

Trevor Fieldsend, 39, appeared via audio visual link in Dubbo Local Court, supported by his aunt, pleading guilty to a charge of stalk or intimidate, intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm.

According to documents tendered in court, the victim was talking to a friend on the phone and rinsing her hair out in the bathroom sink of her Narromine home, when she noticed Fieldsend in her peripheral vision, with a “hammer raised up next to his head”.

The victim asked Fieldsend “what are you doing?” to which he replied, “I can hear you on the phone, you and Geoff are trying to find someone to shoot me”, court documents reveal.

A short time after walking away, Fieldsend returned this time armed with a hammer, a knife and a torch.

Trevor Fieldsend was granted bail in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.

“The victim could tell that (Fieldsend) was under the influence of an illegal drug and became fearful of the accused, mainly due to him holding a knife and a hammer,” police facts state.

“The accused proceeded to turn off all the lights in the house, locked all of the doors and windows, and sat in the lounge room with the victim.

“At this time, the house was in complete darkness.”

Fieldsend continued to mutter that people were coming for him and trying to kill him.

The victim told Fieldsend that she was going to leave for Dubbo, although he replied saying she couldn’t go unless he went with her.

“Although (Fieldsend) at no point threatened the victim, she was still intimidated by the accused’s actions and due to the house being so dark, was unable to find her way outside,” police facts state.

“Feeling like she was trapped inside, the victim managed to send a text message from her phone to another person which stated ‘get police here now’.”

This person contacted police who arrived shortly after to find the house in “absolute darkness”.

Noticing the lights from the police car, the victim made her way outside and spoke to police, explaining what happened.

She said to the police that she needed Fieldsend out of the house and she was feeling uneasy and fearing for her safety due to his behaviour, explaining further that she felt “intimidated and unsafe”.

“She was worried that if she were to sleep in the house, that the accused may assault or injure her in his paranoid and deluded state,” police facts state.

“Police attempted to talk to the accused, who was clearly paranoid. He was not responding to police and refused to stay out of the house.”

Officers saw Fieldsend carrying a large torch, which he continued to use to light up the yard, saying that someone was coming for him.

Fieldsend eventually spoke to police, vaguely stating that he had not taken illegal drugs and that he was perfectly fine.

He was later detained for the purpose of a mental health assessment, and conveyed by an ambulance to Dubbo Base Hospital where he was arrested at 1pm on Tuesday and placed into custody at Dubbo Police Station.

Fieldsend’s lawyer, Ms Caldwell, appealed to Magistrate Theresa Hamilton for her client to be released on bail, noting a number of appropriate conditions to be enforced.

She said Fieldsend – who lived with his mother in Narromine – could live with his aunt in Dubbo.

Ms Caldwell continued her submissions saying Fieldsend would abide by conditions and not take any drugs, unless advised by a doctor, and he would be willing to undertake a mental health and general health check.

While the police prosecutor opposed the bail application, Magistrate Hamilton noted that there were possible mental health issues which may have resulted in Fieldsend’s behaviour.

She accepted that Fieldsend living in Dubbo and having to report daily to Dubbo Police Station could limit the risk of the 39-year-old contacting the victim.

Magistrate Hamilton granted Fieldsend bail and he will return to Dubbo Local Court for sentencing on July 27.