John Peter Collins spared jail time for violent rampage at Bar Beach apartment complex

Despite concerns of community safety and mental health relapse, a Newcastle man has escaped jail after a Bar Beach unit tirade where he yelled, “my dad is El Chapo” and “I’m going to kill you c**ts”.

After a lengthy sentencing process, a Newcastle man who went on a terrifying rampage in an apartment complex where he threatened to rape and kill his neighbours has been spared time behind bars, instead ordered to serve home detention.

John Peter Collins, 45, previously received a sentence of two years and nine months after he went on a tirade of abuse and even assaulted a police officer at his Bar Beach unit on December 28, 2019.

But in the Newcastle District Court on Friday, despite concerns Collins was a risk to the community suffering mental illness and high chances of him re-lapsing, he was given the benefit of the doubt for his sentence to be served  by way of intensive corrections order (ICO), a jail term within the community.

Conditions of that was a 12-month home detention order, which he must serve out while living with his parents and comply with various treatment from his GP and psychiatrist.

John Collins responsible for a violent rampage at a Bar Beach unit in December 2019. Credit: NBN News

The court previously heard Collins was suffering from “drug induced psychosis” during the violent rampage, where he yelled vile threats in a night of terror for his neighbours including “you’re all paedophiles”, “I’m going to f**k you up and kill you” and “I’m going to rape the new girl downstairs”.

He entered one neighbour’s home and told the man “I’m going to f**k your wife … get out of my f**king way or I’m going to kill you”, and kicked in the door of another apartment, declaring “I’m the ultimate fighter and I’m going to kill you c**ts”.

When police arrived Collins took to them with a baseball bat, yelling “the bikies are coming and you’re all going to die … my dad is El Chapo, I am number two, El Chapo is number one”.

It took multiple police officers and tasering attempts to finally subdue the 45-year-old, with one of the officers punched in the face and kicked.

Collins pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including assaulting police; resisting arrest; aggravated break and enter; common assault; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention; and entering a building with intent to commit an indictable offence.

John Collins is seen in a stand-off with police at Bar Beach in December 2019, telling them he was the "ultimate fighter". Credit: NBN News

Collins’ defence barrister Mark Preece told the court home detention imposed could alleviate the risk of his client re-offending but the Crown disagreed opting for him to serve his sentence in prison.

Crown Prosecutor Bonnie Herringe said Collins was a high risk of re-lapsing, there was no evidence he would be in a position to comply with treatment plans and there was risk he would refuse anti-psychotic medication to treat his mental health.

Eventually Judge Tim Gartelmann decided against jail time, instead saying his mental illness could be a risk of deteriorating if imprisoned.

“He appears to have achieved stability in these circumstances,” he said.

Earlier

‘My dad is El Chapo’: Man sentenced over violent rampage

A Newcastle man who went on a terrifying rampage where he threatened to rape and kill his neighbours and screamed that he was the son of Mexican former drug lord El Chapo, has been given an almost three year jail sentence but will remain on bail as he’s assessed whether it can be served on home detention.

The court heard John Peter Collins, 45, was suffering from “drug induced psychosis” when he went on a tirade of yelling abuse at his neighbours, and assaulted one of them and police, at his Bar Beach apartment complex in December, 2019.

In court it was revealed Collins made numerous threats including “you’re all paedophiles”, “I’m going to f**k you up and kill you” and “I’m going to rape the new girl downstairs” in what was a night of terror for the residents at the units at around 7pm on December 28.

He entered one neighbour’s home and told the man “I’m going to f**k your wife … get out of my f**king way or I’m going to kill you”, and kicked in the door of another apartment, declaring “I’m the ultimate fighter and I’m going to kill you c**ts”.

The apartment block at Bar Beach where John Collins threatened neighbours and then police. Credit: NBN News

When police arrived Collins took to them with a baseball bat, yelling “the bikies are coming and you’re all going to die … my dad is El Chapo, I am number two, El Chapo is number one”.

It took multiple police officers and Tasering attempts to finally subdue the 45-year-old, with one of the officers punched in the face and kicked.

After a lengthy struggle he was finally arrested and pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including assaulting police; resisting arrest; aggravated break and enter; common assault; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention; and entering a building with intent to commit an indictable offence.

In what was the eighth listing for sentence of the 2019 matters, Judge Tim Gartelmann was only able to hand down a partial sentence in Newcastle District Court on Thursday.

“I’m taking the extraordinary step of extending proceedings one more time,” he said.

Judge Gartelmann handed down a jail sentence of two years and nine months but refrained from taking Collins into custody as he was scheduled for another assessment as to whether that could be served via way of an intensive corrections order (ICO) on home detention.

“It seems to me concerns raised by doctors need to be addressed in order for the court to be satisfied community safety can be appropriately met,” he said.

“Defence need to get the offender back for assessment with treating medical practitioners as to whether prescription medication is warranted.”

The court heard Collins was significantly less morally culpable for his actions given his mental illness at the time of the offences.

Judge Gartelmann noted it was “clearly out of character” for the 45-year-old, his behaviour described as evidently “bizarre”.

In a previous sentence hearing, Collins admitted he scared his neighbours and caused them a lot of stress, and that he was ashamed of his actions that evening.

“It’s something I’m truly so sorry for,” he told the court.

He’ll come back to court next month for a final sentencing decision.