Man who allegedly punched policeman in the face bailed, re-arrested hours later

A man who allegedly punched a policeman in the face, knocking his glasses off, was arrested, taken to the Brisbane city watch house, then bailed, before he was re-arrested hours later.

Police were called to a unit complex on Belgrave Street at Morningside just after midnight on Monday.

Officers arrived at the property, where it was alleged 51-year-old Daniel James Rees was unco-operative and refusing police entry.

Police were called to the unit in Morningside in the early hours of Monday morning.Credit: File photo

He struck an officer in the side of the face during a physical altercation, causing the officer’s glasses to break.

The male constable required medical attention, with injuries to his face and thumb.

Rees was taken to the city watch house where he was granted bail.

Senior police argued the decision to grant him bail was heavily influenced by the overcrowded state of watch houses.

Police have raised the alarm about capacity issues at the state’s watch houses in recent weeks, with reports of police driving around south-east Queensland to find room to hold offenders.

Earlier this week, the Caboolture watch house – converted in 2023 to house youth offenders – was holding a number of adults alongside children.

After leaving the city watch house, Rees returned to the Belgrave Street property before he was re-arrested that morning.

He allegedly breached the conditions of his bail, police said, when he was involved in a conflict with a resident in a neighbouring unit.

The 51-year-old was charged with one count each of serious assault of a police officer, wilful damage, threatening violence and two counts of obstructing police.

When he appeared in court on Tuesday morning, he was granted bail and sent to hospital for a medical assessment.

He would next appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on March 17.

The male constable had since returned to work on light duties.

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