‘Rocket-fuelled’ man: ’I’ll burn the watch house down’

The man spat on an officer’s face before jumping out a back window.

CONSUMING 'rocket fuel', spitting on a police officer's face and jumping out a back window to evade the police was all part of an alcohol-fuelled evening which has landed a man in jail.

James Steven William Flanagan, 28, of Bowen pleaded guilty in Bowen Magistrate Court to committing a public nuisance, obstructing a police officer and seriously assaulting a police officer by spitting.

Prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors said police were called out to a Bowen address about 11.30pm on January 8 for a potential incident.

The court heard police observed Flanagan to be highly intoxicated and were told to 'f--- off' when they arrived.

"He told police he would burn the watch house down and then find the police officers' house and burn them down too," Sgt Myors said.

"He then locked himself in the house and continued to yell loud enough the whole street could hear."

The court heard about 11.50pm, Flanagan leaned outside of a window on the second floor of the dwelling and spat towards the victim police officer, who was hit on the face - namely the lower eyelid.

Police then forced entry into the premises, with Flanagan escaping out a rear window.

The court heard police returned to the property about 6am and transported Flanagan to the Bowen Watch House.

Solicitor Cleo Rewald said Flanagan did not spit out the window, but vomited after ingesting home-brewed alcohol.

"He had been drinking with his brother who had come for a visit, and had moved off XXXX Gold beer to 'rocket-fuel', a home-brew alcohol," Ms Rewald said.

"He doesn't remember much from the night, but remembers the vomit as he had to clean it up the next day.

"He admits he has an unhealthy relationship with the drink and has worked to reduce it from daily to once or twice a month. He is extremely remorseful."

Magistrate Ron Muirhead said Flanagan had an issue with police, referring to previous convictions.

"Clearly you have an attitude against police officers when I look through your criminal behaviour," he said.

Flanagan was sentenced to four months imprisonment for all charges, with a two month suspended sentence activated for a total of six months imprisonment.

Parole was set for April 11, 2020, with conviction recorded for all charges.

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