Talented Toowoomba basketball player, Aleer, headbutts cop after brother's death

A grieving man who violently confronted police following the recent death of his baby brother, whose body was found on Table Top Mountain, has been released after spending two nights in the watch house.

The Toowoomba Court House. Toowoomba City police station watch-house. Picture: Peta McEachern

A Toowoomba man was arrested after he went to a police station to confront officers for “ruining his life,” and for how he perceived they handled his brother’s death, whose body was recently found on Table Top Mountain (Meewah).

A Toowoomba court heard an angry and high Aleer Deng Aleer, went to the Toowoomba Police Station on Saturday afternoon, March 9, where he punched and threw his shoes at a marked car before approaching the counter.

The 30-year-old man was yelling that police had “f---ed up his life”, the court was told.

The court heard Aleer had a criminal history, however it did not involve acts of violence.

Police prosecutor Nick Pratt said when officers approached Aleer he puffed out his chest and continued to yell menacingly.

Aleer Deng Aleer was arrested on Saturday after he assaulted an officer who was trying to calm him down when he went to the station angry and high to confront police.

Mr Pratt said they attempted to calm him down, however he pushed an officer with his forearm which prompted his arrest.

He said Aleer resisted arrest and told the officers “I’ll f--- you all up”.

Once in the watch-house, Mr Pratt said he headbutted an officer who was searching him and said, “do you like that?”.

He then began spitting at officers, however no contact was made.

While acting as duty lawyer, solicitor Alysha Jacobsen said the former state and national basketball player was dealing with a number of traumas and stressors which led to meth use.

She said in particular, Aleer was struggling with the recent death of his younger brother whose body was found on Table Top Mountain a few weeks ago.

Aleer told the lawyer he went to the station because he wasn’t happy with how police had treated himself, or his family, since the 20-year-old’s sudden death.

Ms Jacobsen said a coroner report was yet to determine the young man’s cause of death.

She said Aleer’s emotions took over and caused him to act out, noting the former drill-rig worker was also struggling with his mental health and was recently admitted to hospital.

Ms Jacobsen said the St Joseph’s College graduate was a talented athlete who competed at a state and national level, but he lost his passion for basketball and began working in the energy sector.
After spending Sunday in the watch-house, Aleer appeared at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday, March 11, and pleaded guilty to the serious assault of a police officer, assault of a police officer, public nuisance, obstructing police, and wilful damage.

Magistrate Mark Howden told Aleer he was battling a “particularly difficult stage” of his life, however he needed to find a way to cope with his grief that did not involve taking it out on the police.

Mr Howden sentenced Aleer to a 12 month probation order.

He told Aleer if he wanted to travel to Sudan to bury his brother with his family, he needed to get permission to leave the country from his probation officer.