Riverview’s Damain Douglas Murphy, 38, faces court after Ipswich train evacuated over blow torch reports

A train was evacuated at an Ipswich station after reports a man threatened passengers with a blow torch and tried to fight them, a court has heard.

A train was evacuated at an Ipswich station earlier this week after reports of a man threatening them with a blow torch. File picture: Claudia Baxter/The Queensland Times

Ipswich train passengers fled a station in fear on Wednesday morning, telling Queensland Rail staff a man had threatened them with a blowtorch, a court has been told.

The man allegedly responsible appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court today, December 22, where he claimed it was all a big misunderstanding.

Riverview’s Damain Douglas Murphy, 38, was charged with going armed so as to cause fear, failing to properly dispose of a needle and syringe and possessing property suspected of being used in the commission of a drug offence.

At his bail application today, the court heard passengers fled a train stopped at Riverview station at 11.15am on Wednesday, December 20.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Brad Dick said passengers told a Queensland Rail officer that a man armed with a blow torch had been threatening commuters with it and trying to fight them.

The QR officer evacuated a train carriage and saw Mr Murphy holding what he believed to be a blowtorch, the court was told.

After emptying the platform, the officer locked himself in an office as he feared for his safety.

But Sergeant Dick said when police arrived they found Mr Murphy with a metal pipe – not a blowtorch – sticking out from his backpack.

No flammable liquids were found in his possession and the pipe was found to be a long hose piece.

Sergeant Dick said Mr Murphy told police he had the hose to “clean Springfield up”.

Defence lawyer Paddy O’Donnell said his client had previously been a rural firefighter for six years in NSW.

He said Mr Murphy was carrying a sprinkler head as he sometimes volunteered in Springfield to help with backburning.

Sergeant Dick said police opposed Mr Murphy’s bail application as he had an extensive criminal history.

The court heard Mr Murphy was on parole at the time for charges including going armed so as to cause fear.

“This is a serious example of the charge, your honour,” Sergeant Dick said.

“It was a serious disruption to the traffic of public.”

Magistrate Robert Walker said the allegations were concerning, regardless of the fact there was no blowtorch.

“There was some sort of instrument being brandished and used in a threatening manner while people were being challenged to be fought,” he said.

Mr O’Donnell said Mr Murphy denied threatening anyone.

“It’s all been taken way out of context,” Mr O’Donnell said.

He said Mr Murphy had some issues with drugs after the loss of his son some years ago.

But he had the support of his partner, who was expecting a baby in February.

Mr Walker said he had no material before him to substantiate Mr O’Donnell’s suggestion his client had had a “legitimate purpose”.

Mr Murphy had to be muted over a video link at that stage after yelling out: “Forget about it”.

Mr Walker granted an adjournment until January 10 to allow Mr O’Donnell time to gather more material.

Originally published as Riverview’s Damain Douglas Murphy, 38, faces court after Ipswich train evacuated over blow torch reports