Masked man on alleged Cranbourne Park rampage while on bail for COVID-19 spit incident
A man accused of terrorising Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre customers with a large kitchen knife while wearing a Guy Fawkes mask on the weekend was on bail for an alleged coronavirus spitting attack at the time, a court has heard.
South East
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An accused Guy Fawkes mask-wearing man allegedly ran through Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre terrorising customers and staff with a large kitchen knife.
Anthony Bettink was on bail at the time for another alleged incident at the same shopping centre where he is accused of yelling he had coronavirus while spitting in the face of a security guard.
The 42-year-old Cranbourne man applied in-person for bail at Frankston Magistrates’ Court last Thursday but was refused.
The court heard police are alleging Mr Bettink was shirtless and drunk and wearing the anti-authoritarian Guy Fawkes V for Vendetta mask when he entered the Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre about 5.30pm on Saturday.
He allegedly ran shoulder-first into the glass door, causing it to break.
He went into BWS bottle shop but when asked to leave he allegedly pushed a security officer in the chest.
In Aldi he allegedly wielded a large kitchen knife, screaming at staff and customers before running off.
It’s alleged that after several frantic triple-0 calls made to police by the public Mr Bettink was tracked down in High St after he had allegedly thrown the knife in a nearby garden.
After he was arrested he allegedly urinated and defecated in the police cells, and could not be interviewed due to his highly agitated state.
Police allege Mr Bettink spat in the face of a security guard at the same shopping centre on March 2 this year, yelling “coronavirus” before he was arrested.
In court Mr Bettink represented himself, saying what he did “was stupid”.
He said he had been drinking heavily since he “came off the ice four weeks go” and “didn’t intend to hurt anyone”.
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Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said his alleged behaviour was “really concerning”.
“You seem to be acting very irrationally; you have a knife on you, wearing a mask, causing havoc,” Mr Lethbridge said.
“At the time you were on bail for an allegation you spat on someone saying you had coronavirus.
“You are an unacceptable risk.”
He said Mr Bettink should speak to a lawyer about reapplying for bail.
He is listed to face court again on June 11.