Lonnie Michael Gwilliams is charged with child stealing in Mackay
A Queensland man accused of child stealing has applied for bail in what a magistrate has labelled a ‘super weird’ set of allegations.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Queensland man accused of child stealing has applied for bail in what a magistrate has labelled a ‘super weird’ set of allegations.
The incident occurred on June 17, 2024 at Mackay.
Lonnie Michael Gwilliams, who is in custody on remand, is charged with one count of child stealing – child under 16 years with intent to deprive the parent possession of the child.
He has not entered any pleas.
When the matter was before Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan on Wednesday for a freedom bid she explained Mr Gwilliams had the presumption of bail because he was not in a show cause position.
Ms Hartigan questioned what the primary objection to his bail was, saying there was “absolutely nothing” of a like nature on his criminal history.
“Anything to do with offending against children, which he’s not charged with here I make that clear,” Ms Hartigan said.
“But child stealing … the factual matrix of this is so weird. It’s super weird.”
The court heard Mr Gwilliams and the child were known to each other, but they were not related and Ms Hartigan said he did not have strong ties to the family.
“And with the presumption in his favour … I’m minded to give him bail,” Ms Hartigan said.
The court heard Mr Gwilliams had a stable home address and Ms Hartigan said he would “just have no contact with any of these people”.
“That shouldn’t be hard, he’s not in any kind of relationship with the mother,” Ms Hartigan said.
“It can be cut off immediately.”
Prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao indicated Mr Gwilliams did have entries for failing to appear in court, to which Ms Hartigan said he had “been to court dozens and dozens of times”.
“And out of that his last fail to appear was 1o years ago, and since then he’s been to court a number of times,” Ms Hartigan said, adding including for an arson matter.
“So his failing to appear is not particularly significant.”
Ms Hartigan granted bail but Mr Gwilliams must live at a set address and abide by no contact orders.
The matter will be mentioned again in September.
More Coverage
Originally published as Lonnie Michael Gwilliams is charged with child stealing in Mackay
Outback town now a ‘playground for criminals,’ leaders warn
KAP leader Robbie Katter has blasted the state government, claiming it has lost control of Mount Isa’s spiralling crime crisis after residents recently endured a ‘hellish’ crime wave.
Young man hospitalised after late night crash
A young man has been hospitalised after a crash in the Mackay region overnight.
Young dad flees police station, destroys CCTV footage in dramatic arrest
A dad who was caught illegally riding an e-scooter outside the police station fled the scene and, when eventually caught, used food to ruin a security camera in the watch-house.
Manhunt in cane fields for two suspected car arsonists
Police are scouring a Mackay cane field for firebugs after a car was torched on a cane train track. It comes after another car was set alight outside a nearby hotel.
Heartbroken meth miner faces court for bizarre crime spree
A Moranbah miner linked a bevy of criminal charges to his divorce with a magistrate reprimanding him that he wasn’t “the first guy whose wife left him,” a court heard.
Beer, biscuits, DNA: Why Milwaukee-thieving JW isn’t sharpest tool
A jailed Jehovah Witness, who stole expensive power tools during a spree and left a trail of evidence at break-in scenes, still hasn’t mastered crim life despite his “old” age and long rap sheet.