Alan Joyce pieman Tony Overheu charged with assault, damage and trespass

Same-sex marriage opponent who pushed a lemon meringue pie into the face of Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has been charged.

Tony Overheu slams a lemon meringue pie into the face of Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. Picture: The West Australian

The same-sex marriage opponent who pushed a lemon meringue pie into the face of Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has been charged with common assault, damage and trespass.

Tony Overheu has given a detailed account of his actions to media since Tuesday morning when he says he walked unchallenged into a business breakfast hosted by The West Australian newspaper and hid behind an onstage screen. He claimed he waited there for “a couple of hours” for Mr Joyce to arrive at the podium.

He is a devout Christian who describes corporate support for gay marriage as “social engineering”. Qantas is among companies that back marriage equality.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. Picture Kym Smith

Police spoke to Mr Overheu after the attack but until today they had charged him only with giving false details. In a statement issued to media this afternoon, WA Police do not name Mr Overheu but say they have laid further charges “against a 67-year-old man after an incident in East Perth on Tuesday, 9 May 2017”.

“The man attended a hotel located on Adelaide Terrace at around 8:15am,” police say in the media release.

“It is alleged he struck a man who was speaking at a conference in the face with a pie.

“He is due to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on 7 June 2017 on these charges and a previous charge of Give False Details to Police.”

Former prime minister John Howard weighed into the issue today during a visit to Perth, describing the attack on Mr Joyce as “appalling”.

“The person who assaulted him should be dealt with in ­accordance with the law,” Mr Howard said.

On Wednesday Mr Overheu told radio station 6PR that his family was outraged by what he had done.

“My wife is at my throat,” he said.