Man charged for coughing in public during COVID-19 shut down

A Toowoomba man pleaded guilty to being a public nuisance after he coughed on surfaces at Centerlink and told witnesses that he had COVID-19.

Kamahl Alexander Collin Charlton, was sentenced for 10 charges.

THE Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard Kamahl Alexander Collin Charlton, 39, was in the throes of a deep mental break when he coughed on surfaces at Centerlink, during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Police prosecutor Narelle Lowe said officers were called to a disturbance at the Centerlink office in Bell St on April 15.

“(Charlton) was waiting in line with several other people and began lighting business cards on fire and throwing them around,” she said.

“He was swearing and saying he had COVID-19 while coughing, he coughed on his keys and threw them at the door, he coughed on business cards and the glass door.”

The court heard this upset several people at the office.

The next day he went to the Hooper Centre, discharged a fire extinguisher and threatened nearby shoppers.

Acting for the defence, solicitor Joe Millican said his client was off his medication and using illicit drugs at the time, which brought on a deep schizophrenic break.

“(My client) thought he was in a disaster movie and that everyone was doomed,” he said.

Mr Millican tendered a mental health report and said his client’s serious illness would have excused his criminal culpability, had he not been consuming drugs at the time.

Charlton pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including commit a public nuisance.

Noting that Charlton had taken honest steps to address his mental health, Magistrate Kay Ryan placed him on a good behaviour bond, with no conviction recorded.