Man threatens to kill mental health case worker in Central Qld

A mental health case worker in Central Queensland was forced to lock himself in a car as his client came at him, threatening to smack his head into the concrete and kill him.

A man has faced Gladstone court after he threatened to kill his mental health case worker. Generic image.

A man has faced court in Central Queensland after he threatened to kill his mental health case worker in a frightening incident where the staffer locked himself in a car to escape.

Simon Desmond Byers, 38, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court on November 22 where he pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing and one count each of possessing a knife in public, and threatening violence.

The court heard the most serious of Byers’ offences happened on October 31 where he threatened to kill his case worker from Gladstone Community Mental Health.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Tanya Griffiths said on that day, the case worker was getting into a vehicle when Byers ran at him while yelling and screaming obscenities.

Sgt Griffiths said the case worker locked the car doors and Byers tried to open them, yelling: “I’m going to smack your head in, into the concrete, you dog c---.”

Byers then asked the case worker to get out of the vehicle and fight, yelling: “Get out of the car, c---, I’ll f---ing kill you.”

The court heard the case worker, in fear, stayed in the locked car.

In relation to the other charges, police caught Byers with a knife on Fitzroy St, Rockhampton, on October 8, when they were called to an altercation involving Byers and another man.

And then on October 15 and 20, Byers stole shoes on both days from Sportspower Gladstone - both pairs worth $239.99.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The court heard that Byers had a 16-page criminal history with a variety of different offences on it including dangerous conduct with a weapon, common assault (x3), assault occasioning bodily harm, going armed to cause fear, 15 drug offences, 8 public nuisance offences and 8 possess knife in public offences.

Representing himself in court via video link, Byers said he wanted to apologise to his mental health case worker.

“I didn’t want to make his job hard,” Byers said.

“I’m tired of being in jail.

“I don’t know what to do.

“I am sorry for (case worker). Like, he probably is a decent person - it’s just that I didn’t know him very well.

“He didn’t deserve to get threatened like he did ... I was just blaming him for my problems ... and I shouldn’t have done that.”

Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Byers to nine months’ jail and declared 20 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served.

She fixed Byers’ parole eligibility date at February 2.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Man threatens to kill mental health case worker in Central Qld