Aaron Trent Bidgood denied bail in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on evasion, weapons offences

After running a red light attempting to escape a pursuing police vehicle, a 28-year-old Toowoomba man was found by Polair on the roof of a neighbour’s house, but that wasn’t the end of the alarming discoveries made by police.

A Toowoomba man has been refused bail after a shortened firearm, silencer and ammunition were found in the boot of his car following a dramatic police pursuit.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Friday was told police were patrolling along Cumming St on April 13 when they attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Aaron Trent Bidgood

Rather than stop, the 28-year-old allegedly sped off, running a red light, with police forced to terminate their pursuit.

Polair was called to locate Mr Bidgood, with the court told the police helicopter tracked the man through Wilsonton where he allegedly abandoned the car and tried to flee on foot, jumping a number of fences before climbing onto the roof of a neighbour’s house.

Police prosecutor Anita Page said police were called to talk Mr Bidgood down from the roof, and once in police custody a search was conducted on his vehicle, where in the boot police allegedly found a shortened firearm, a silencer and ammunition.

A Queensland Police Polair chopper was called to Toowoomba to assist after a man allegedly fled from officers. Picture David Clark.

Mr Bidgood appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court from the watch-house where he made an application for bail on charges of evasion, possessing a shortened firearm, two counts of unlawful possession of weapons, authority required to possess explosives and possessing anything for use in the commission of crime.

Solicitor Claire Graham, representing Mr Bidgood, submitted during the bail application that her client had recently been involved in a relationship breakdown which had resulted in his relapse into drug use.

The court was told Mr Bidgood had been released from a period spent in custody in November last year, and had been clean of drugs while behind bars, but was subject to both probation and a suspended sentence at the time of the most recent spate of offending.

Ms Graham submitted that the root cause of her client’s offending was his drug use, and submitted that steps to address his addiction, including rehabilitation and counselling, would go to address his risk of reoffending.

In opposing bail, Ms Page submitted to the court that the offences Mr Bidgood was accused of were serious, and that police had “significant concerns” that he was in possession of a firearm which posed a “serious risk” to the community.

Magistrate Louise Shephard said Mr Bidgood “clearly posed an unacceptable risk to commit further offences” and his bail was refused. The matter was adjourned to June 6.