Pittsworth State High School plunged into lockdown after alleged drunken assault

A Toowoomba region school was forced into lockdown, following an alleged incident that occurred on its school grounds. Now the alleged offender has been refused bail.

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A drunk who allegedly trespassed onto a Pittsworth school grounds and threatened teachers before punching a male teacher in the face has been refused bail and remanded in custody.

Wayne Glenn Lloyd Castle lived in a shed at the back of his mother’s home on Railway St, Pittsworth, which is adjacent to the Pittsworth State High School grounds, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

The 44-year-old was arrested by police and appeared in court via video link from the Toowoomba watch house on Wednesday charged with threatening violence, trespassing, wilfully disturbing the good order of a state educational institution and assault occasioning bodily harm.

Reading from the police objection to bail affidavit, Magistrate Kay Ryan noted police claimed the school had to go into lockdown and teachers were ushering students away from Castle as he verbally threatened staff.

When a teacher asked Castle to leave the school grounds, it was alleged he struck the teacher in the face, leaving him with a bleeding nose and cut lip, she said.

Castle’s lawyer told the court her client would abide by all bail conditions set by the court, would abstain from drinking alcohol, have no contact with witnesses or go to the school.

However, Ms Ryan said one of the major setbacks to granting bail was that Castle lived next door to the school.

Ms Ryan refused bail and remanded Castle in custody to appear back in the same court for mention on May 19.