Callum James Dunlop jailed for bashing man with metal pole

A brutal vigilante with a history of torture and kidnapping who nearly took a homeless man’s ear off with a metal pole has been booted from court in dramatic scenes - yelling, “you’re making me look like a monster for fighting bad guys”.

Callum James Dunlop, 38, pleaded guilty and was convicted of a malicious act with intent and stealing after bashing a homeless man with a metal pole.

A Bundaberg man has been sentenced to four years jail for brutally bashing a homeless man with a metal pole near the Tallon Bridge.
Callum James Dunlop, 38, pleaded guilty and was convicted of a malicious act with intent and stealing.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren told the Bundaberg District Court Dunlop had been at a hospital on the morning of April 17, 2024, and was overheard making a disturbing statement, yelling about a girl being gone and saying, “the guy was still there,” followed by a declaration that he would “get an iron bar and smash his ankle”.
About 7am Dunlop, having left the hospital, approached a homeless man who was lying in a rotunda near the Tallon Bridge.
The court heard the man was on his mobile phone when Dunlop, carrying a large metal pole, struck him multiple times.

The first strike hit the man’s shoulder, causing bruising.
The second blow struck his neck, causing bruising and a laceration.
The third and most severe strike targeted the left side of his head, landing on his left ear and nearly tearing it off.
It caused a deep laceration, exposing cartilage and a tear that required medical treatment.
Dunlop interrupted the court at that point, saying he only “hit him once” despite his plea of guilty.

Callum James Dunlop, 38, pleaded guilty and was convicted of a malicious act with intent and stealing.

After the attack the man fled toward the nearby police station, with Dunlop following him and carrying the metal pole.
Dunlop stopped pursuing him before the man reached safety, but when police arrived back at the scene with the homeless man, they discovered Dunlop had stolen his mobile phone.
After the assault, Dunlop had returned to the hospital he had been at earlier.
The court heard that it was there he made statements justifying his actions, claiming he was protecting a woman and that he had caught the victim by surprise and “smacked him a good one to the side of his head”.
Dunlop also described his actions as necessary to “get a rapist off the streets”.
Dunlop interrupted court proceedings.
“You’re making out … like he was a f*cking good person,” he said.

When police found Dunlop at the hospital, he still had the stolen phone on him.
He refused to participate in an interview with police.

The court was told his criminal history was described as extensive and concerning, with multiple violent offences, particularly those involving weapons.
He was first sentenced to jail in October 2018, and has been involved in numerous incidents of violence and weapon-related offences.
It heard his criminal history included multiple instances of possessing weapons, such as knives, in public places, as well as going armed to cause fear, unlawful possession of weapons, and threats of violence using firearms.
Dunlop had also committed violent offences such as common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm, deprivation of liberty, torture, and sexual assault.

Notably, in relation to an offence on October 5, 2018, the court heard Dunlop was involved in a threatening incident with a tomahawk. 
On January 17, 2019, he was again involved in a similar incident, this time holding a large metal pole and a knife in a public place in Nambour.
In a separate incident on November 13, 2020, he was found threatening people with a large knife after yelling at the occupants of a unit in Bundaberg.
His criminal history also included an alarming episode on September 2, 2021, where he threatened people with a broken bottle in a public park.

Further offences include an event on April 9, 2024, where Dunlop committed serious acts of violence against a woman, including a bizarre and disturbing series of assaults, threats, and deprivation of liberty.
During this episode, he broke into the woman’s unit, assaulted her, and threatened to kill her animals.
In attempt to stab one of her dogs he missed and stabbed himself in the wrist instead.
“You put her on her bed, you put a pillow over her face, and you held it there, and you then punched and kicked her in her back, causing a rib to break,” Judge Rosengren said.
 

Judge Jennifer Rosengren presided over the most recent case of Callum James Dunlop, 38, who pleaded guilty and was convicted of a malicious act with intent and stealing. Pics Tara Croser.

The court was told Dunlop locked the woman in a bedroom, assaulted her physically, and caused significant harm, including a fractured rib.

“It was considered that your pleas were not accompanied by any expression of genuine remorse,” Judge Rosengren said.
Dunlop interrupted the court several times, calling someone a pedophile, telling the court he was protecting the community.
“You’re making me look like a monster for … fighting bad guys,” he said.

“I’m not a monster … I was laying down the law.
“I protect the citizens.”

Dunlop was removed from the courtroom and the sentencing was adjourned and resumed after 15 minutes.
Dunlop’s defence barrister Phillip Hardcastle said his client was in the cells “ranting and raving”.
“He’s not going to be in a position to come back into court,” Mr Hardcastle said.

He asked judge Rosengren if the officers could move Dunlop to the watch house “urgently”, and another officer in the courtroom seconded the request.
Dunlop was removed from the premises entirely and taken to the Bundaberg watch house.

He received a four-year sentence for the malicious act with intent and six months for the theft.
Both sentences are to be served concurrently but cumulatively with his existing sentence.
Dunlop will be eligible for parole in May.
Judge Rosengren ordered that a psychological report and sentencing remarks be provided to parole authorities to help review his parole eligibility, stressing the need for public protection given the nature of his offences and his apparent risk of reoffending.

Originally published as Callum James Dunlop jailed for bashing man with metal pole