Roy Alfred Michael Solomon accused of Rockhampton siege

The disturbing alleged events that occurred behind closed doors as a man accused of keeping a woman against her will while he held police at bay for 10 hours in Rockhampton can be exclusively revealed.

A fragile, ailing woman, reliant on a walker, opened the door to a man claiming he wanted water but he ended up allegedly holding her against her will before taking over her home in a 10-hour siege with police.

This is according to court documents on file for the man charged over the stand-off with police near Rockhampton High School on Campbell Street, Wandal, last Wednesday, December 4.

The man allegedly behind the siege, Roy Alfred Michael Solomon, 34, has been charged with one count each of deprivation of liberty (domestic violence offence), obstruct police, assault police and wilful damage (domestic violence offence).

The charges were before Rockhampton Magistrates Court on December 5.

The allegations involving Mr Solomon in the lead up to the siege and what happened during the siege were outlined in an Objection to Bail affidavit filed by Queensland Police in the court document viewed by The Morning Bulletin.

It states the woman in the unit opened the door to Mr Solomon, who was known to them, after he requested water at 7pm on December 3.

Police attending an incident on Campbell Street.

Police allege Mr Solomon entered the unit, rambling about “police being outside and surrounded the house” before going into the kitchen and arming himself with a knife.

They say the resident, a 53-year-old woman who relies “heavily” on a walker and has “ailing health”, saw the knife at Mr Solomon’s side and walked to her bedroom.

Police allege Mr Solomon grabbed her by the arm and told her “no, we are going in here” and sat her down on her walker and continued rambling.

It is believed that the woman attempted to talk to Mr Solomon but he told her to “shut up” before he paced the unit, unplugged electrical items and covered windows with sheets.

“After a prolonged period of time, the woman became sick and sore from fear,“ the affidavit read.

Police allege she told Mr Solomon she was “numb all over” and needed to go back to bed in which he followed, still carrying the knife.

The woman, at one point, allegedly tried to leave, but was told by the defendant “I have a knife but I don’t want to use it”.

Mr Solomon allegedly paced the unit while the woman pretended to sleep for several hours, until she could hear birds cheep and light come up and she used the bathroom.

After defying Mr Solomon’s order “you have to stay in the room, you can’t leave” by going into her kitchen and making a coffee, the woman managed to grab her phone, police allege.

They say she called an associate and asked for a carton of alcohol in front of Mr Solomon.

Police allege a witness attended at 10.30am and the woman told her “get out, there’s a man in the bathroom, call police”.

Police attended the unit at 10.40am and allege that “upon entry, the distraught woman fled the unit” and told them “there’s a man in my bathroom”.

Mr Solomon is accused of becoming hostile and brandishing a knife when he was located by officers in a bedroom in the unit.

He is also accused of refusing to cooperate with them when they told him to put the knife down and get on the ground, instead telling them to “f**k off”.

Mr Solomon allegedly continued to make threats with a machete, barricading himself in the residence throughout the siege and throwing items at first responders, hitting one of them with a soft drink can.

The stretch of Campbell St between the Rockhampton Showgrounds roundabout and North St was closed throughout the siege.

Police attending an incident on Campbell Street.

The Morning Bulletin witnessed a police officer with his gun drawn when cops swarmed the Campbell St set of two-storey apartments where the man could be seen wielding a machete and a knife in front of the unit but behind a fence.

Fifteen police were there as of 11.45am, including at least one negotiator, looking inside the building.

Rockhampton State High School, which was near where the siege took place, posted to Facebook that it was secure and at the end of the day all buses and pick-ups were switched to Exhibition Rd and a number of staff to direct children.

“He let off a fire extinguisher in the house (at 9.30pm), causing extensive damage to furniture, kitchenware and the bedroom area,” the affidavit states.

“The chemical compound then filled the unit, rendering it uninhabitable without a deep clean.

“As a result… he was forced to flee the unit where he was taken into custody by police.”

A man armed with a machete and knives surrendered to specialist police after holding them at bay for more than 10 hours at a Campbell St unit just 50 metres from Rockhampton State High School on December 4, 2024. Contributed photo: Jayden Barnham

Police allege Mr Solomon was under the influence of drugs and had been taken to Rockhampton Hospital for examination for this reason.

The document states Mr Solomon was sentenced in December 2023 to two years and eight months prison for deprivation of liberty, threatening violence - discharge firearms or other and assault occasioning bodily harm.

The document also states police had been looking for Mr Solomon since November 20, 2024, in relation to other matters and spoken to multiple associates and family members.

“Multiple associates have stated that the defendant had made threats to kill himself/cut himself and has been using drugs,” the affidavit states.

The affidavit state multiple associates have stated that Mr Solomon had made threats to kill himself andcut himself and had allegedly been using drugs.

It further states that in the short time he had been released from custody, he had allegedly committed serious acts, was “erratic, dependent on drugs and has no place of residence/is not welcome at most of the houses of his family members”.

Police state in the affidavit he is not welcome due to the seriousness of his alleged offending and he is accused of using weapons.

Mr Solomon on a Return to Prison warrant, no bail application was made and his fresh charges were adjourned to January 22, 2025.

No plea was entered.

Originally published as Roy Alfred Michael Solomon accused of Rockhampton siege